JUST when you start to feel a little iso-over it, a message is sent from above reassuring you everything is going to be okay.
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Well .... via loudspeaker at least, from atop the hill overlooking Horton Street in Port Macquarie. And not quite divine intervention, but praise be, it was pretty close.
On Thursday on the traditional church bell chime of 12 noon, those of us venturing out briefly to find a coffee to get us through the remainder of the afternoon were stopped in our tracks.
The beat was resonating at an extraordinary decibel level and the lyrics had significantly more meaning than ever - actually, probably ever.
"I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling...Gotta make you understand...Never gonna give you up...Never gonna let you down..."
There were no church bells today. Rick Astley, the auburn-haired English singer-songwriter known best for his "blue-eyed" soul tunes in the 80s, was in the holy house - St Agnes' Catholic Church.
So, had we just been "rickrolled" by the church (you may need to Google this if you're curious)?
It may have been a brief "what the?" moment, but it was magic. People stopped. They smiled. Some of us even laughed joyfully out loud. This perfectly-timed serenade from the church bell tower across the streets of Port Macquarie was exactly what we all needed.
The Port News contacted the church to say thanks for the smiles.
It seems our groovy Fr Paul Gooley was testing out the sound system ahead of Anzac Day.
When informed of the impact it had on the masses, Fr Paul Gooley "was delighted at the pleasure it brought people".
St Agnes Church plans to play The Last Post on Anzac Day over the loudspeakers and across the town at 7am, 11am and later in the afternoon as a mark of respect to our ex-servicemen and women.
Now we know the loudspeakers are working, this gesture by the church will be even more glorious than today's test run.
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