lindavarosblog

Elegantly Restored Victorian Healing Springs Resort

Bedford Springs Hotel

Somewhere in Time



THIS PHOTO SHOWS ONE SIDE of the elegant hotel where daughter Veronica and my grandson and I spent 24 very interesting hours as an end to our little spring vacation.  As the angels of good fortune would have it, Veronica had won the stay in a contest and so we went from the mountain, lake and woodlands of Maryland and traveled one hour north to Bedford Pennsylvania.

My mother spoke of the Bedford Springs Hotel often and showed me old photos of she and dad on their few rare visits to the place. It is a hotel with a great history. The site was part of the local Native American lifestyle with various regional tribes enjoying the numerous mineral springs of the area.
At some point they shared their stories of it's healing properties with a physician named Dr. Anderson, who purchased the land in 1796 and brought patients there for healings.  Eventually he built a stone inn as the first building on the property. Over time a proper hotel was built, which was added on to a number of times as it became a popular place during the Victorian era and a very popular site for ten U.S. presidents. In fact it was considered the 'summer White House' by president James Buchanan.  More about the history of the hotel here:
http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/BedfordSprings/OurHistory.aspx

It was a short stay but long enough to make quite an impression.  Not only is it beautiful, elegant, huge, and houses a fabulous spa...but many other kinds of experiences continue to exist within the walls. 

Let me explain...the many walls of this very long, expansive old hotel are lined with enlarged, framed, vintage photographs of visitors from the days when one came by buggy or train to take in the ‘healing waters’ of the springs.  There are quotations and sentimental titles under each photo.  They are interesting with the typical look of photos from the era.   Our hallway was a long walk from the lobby.  However, there were exits out onto the front porch with rockers, the lawn with swing and a lovely area  near the chef's garden.  There were many photographs in the hallways.  Next to our door hung one of these black and white poster sized images of a small group of 5 or 6 young visitors, perhaps in the late Victorian era.  As I glanced at it for the 3^rd time in passing, I was pulled to a halt by the look of one young man in the top left of the photo.  He seemed to be about 20 or so.  The look on his face was one of  both intensity and humor.  His gaze directed at the lens, a smile of knowing on his face, a more dense clarity to his image than the others in the photograph.  He leans forward in the photo as if to say, ‘I know you, in another time, are looking at me and I back at you.” "I am aware of this now and in this moment we are together. Because of this camera and photogravure, I will share this moment with you and with everyone in the future who looks into my eyes!  Right now, I am with you in the future. This is so cool! Hello There!!!”

His energy just jumps out of the photo.  His personality and intention to merge with the viewer is so intense, it made me smile. The more I looked at his face and felt his energy, the stronger the connection became. To me it is so obvious he is smitten with this knowledge, that it caused me to smile for a long while after I had walked away.   I so regret not taking a photo to post here.  Perhaps sometime in the future I can do that.

Later, after a complimentary black walnut scrub, immersion shower, steam bath and hot tub soak in the Spa!!! YES!, I came back to our room and went to bed.  Several minutes went by and I dozed off.  Suddenly I began to see (feel) multitudes of people wandering through the room.  Their thoughts were overwhelming me and I could not sleep. It was confusing…so much going on. Some of the energy wasn’t very pleasant. I tried to sleep but it was impossible.  I realized these were the visitors of the past, perhaps present now, or perhaps they were simply layers of time moving through space.  I sat up and asked our Guardian Angels and Holy Spirit to place a circle of protection around us with the Divine white light.  Things got very quiet very quickly, and finally I fell to sleep.

Now at home there is much to think about. The crux of which I will mention in the next blog…coming shortly.    I would love if you would share some of your vacation or nature experiences here too.   Your thoughts and feelings are welcomed!  Several of you email me that you are thinking of sharing but no one has taken me up on it.  I will add a separate column to the blog if you would like to share.   Though I have shut-off the ‘number of members/viewers’ section, I would be happy to add your content if you care to send it along.

Hugs, Love & Gratitude!

Linda