THIS week's community column comes from Rev Christine Murdoch, minister at the Church of Scotland’s Lochside Linkage.

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ONCE again, we are living with more restrictions, and Covid-19 continues to hamper our lives.

When times are hard, we are often given the advice, “count your blessings”. That is not to dismiss how hard life may be, but it does encourage us to see the good things we enjoy.

Many of the simple pleasures in life, such as meeting with friends and family may be curtailed and limited at the moment, so we need to find new ways to enjoy simple pleasures.

Taking a walk in nature is not only pleasurable, it has also been proven to reduce stress levels. Living in the Helensburgh area, we are blessed with beautiful scenery right on our doorstep, and it is easy for us to get out into nature.

READ MORE: Your letters to the Helensburgh Advertiser: October 15, 2020

Even from the comfort of my own home, I can access wonderful vistas. When I am sitting at my computer, I can see a beautiful view of the Clyde, and gazing at it for a few minutes brings me pleasure and makes a difference to stress levels, even when it is raining.

We are all finding ways of dealing with the changes of the past few months and some changes do have silver linings. Now that meetings are conducted by video conferencing, I no longer have to undertake a two hour round trip on a dark winter’s night for a meeting that might only last an hour – not only am I saving time, I am also saving petrol and therefore the environment.

Perhaps the most dramatic change we have experienced is the way we say farewell to loved ones. No longer can family and friends gather together to share memories; we cannot be physically present to support one another. However, the support that families feel when they see people standing on the route of a funeral procession is of immense importance to them.

This is such a simple way of reaching out to others in their time of need and showing your care. Please continue to engage in this show of solidarity.

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