My daughter was having a hard time in labor during the birth of my first grandchild, a boy. She had been in false labor and uncomfortable for days and when she finally was in the hospital one beautiful Spring morning, I was glad. She hadn't been there long and they had gotten her prepared, etc. The doctor examined her, then said "Well it could be one hour or it could be 12 more hours." That worried me somewhat because she had already had a hard time of it the last few days.
I decided to go outside and smoke a cigarette since it could be hours before the baby would be born. I went to the edge of a small hill across the road from the hospital and looked at the sun still early in the sky. It was a gorgeous day. We were on a Marine base near the coast and it was Sunday; no jets were flying that day. I thought about my daughter and the dangers of childbirth. I had a rough time having both my children and I was scared for my daughter. I asked Mother Mary to please watch out for her and the baby.
A moment later a bugle call sounded in the air, the 3-note bugle call that is the 5 minute warning for Colors. Colors is when the flag is raised on base every morning. When Colors is actually sounded, Marines face the flag/music at attention, and if in uniform, salute, until the bugle call of Colors has ended and 'carry on' is sounded.
The notes I heard were the little 5 minute warning that it is almost time for Colors and I just sensed Mary telling me something in the urgency of that bugle call. I had not even finished my cigarette and felt compelled to go back quickly to the hospital. Sure enough, when I got out of the elevator my son-in-law met me, telling me excitedly that the baby was about to be born. This happened not even ten minutes after the doctor's announcement and within minutes of me asking the Holy Virgin to take care of my daughter!
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