Dear Shanon,
The holidays can be tough. Where can people go if they need help?
The Bible and The Byrds got it right. To everything, there is a turn; seasons of change each with a purpose. With each passing season comes an opportunity as members of the community to reflect on where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going.
One of the biggest opportunities for improvement for our community in the new year is addressing the increasing population of homelessness. Stemmed by many contributing factors, homelessness can often involve various levels of depression. Frequently overlooked and unaddressed because a disconnected mind is not as immediately obvious as a disconnected joint, the downward spiral of depression can happen very quickly. But it is real and can be difficult for many around the holidays.
To the friends out there who are homeless, lost, sad, or alone and have been impacted by touch changes this holiday season, it can certainly be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But don’t give up and have hope, that light IS there and in the big picture, this is a small moment in time and will pass.
Make this holiday season about giving love joyously to one another, rather than overconsuming, overspending, and overcommitting. You know, the whole Peace on Earth, love one another concept that we often seem to forget. Like the Golden Rule, be kind and do unto others as you would have them do unto you because you never know what battles people are facing. Perhaps your version of giving is a simple smile to a stranger, a look in the eye, a wave of your hand. It’s not that hard to be nice and takes more wrinkles on your face to frown, so we might as well smile and try to be happy. Positive energy can be very contagious and the power of positive thinking can have a huge impact on mental health and is worth trying, every day.
Our community has many programs available for Suicide Prevention so if you need help, reach out to one of these resources or a trusted friend. You are not alone, and these programs were built and are here to assist. The holidays can be a tough time for many so let’s join together this season as we help one another with simple acts of kindness to help spread joy and cheer in this great place we call home.
· Medford Homeless Shelters & Services: www.homelessshelterdirectory.org
· Jackson County Suicide Prevention Coalition: 541.774.8201
· Suicide National 24 Hour Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
· Hearts With A Mission Youth Shelter: Open 24 Hours 521 Edwards St, Medford 541.646.7385
Jackson County Residential Statistics
Median Prices from August 1-2018 through October 31, 2018
NW Medford: $237,500
SW Medford: $268,500
East Medford: $305,000
West Medford: $206,000
Jackson County: $285,000
Shanon Pewtress
Real Estate Broker, Licensed in the state of Oregon
Published Winter 2018
Shanon holds an MBA in International Business, loves writing in her “At Home with Shanon” column that has been delivered to 47,000+ homes in Medford since 2014, has appeared on the Real Estate Radio Show, and was also featured on A&E TV network’s Real Estate Reality TV show.