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Author: Leslie Lippa
I am a 50-something-year-old lover of hippos, books, and the beach.
I currently work at the Greensboro Fire Department in North Carolina in Public Relations.
I wrote this piece in 2014 while struggling to climb out of the depths of despair after losing my mother to a long battle with cancer. My momma and I shared a special bond over the beach, and I recently added a tattoo in her handwriting of a line from the last note she wrote me - "the beach calls and I sure understand that. Love, Mom".
I had the opportunity to attend “Summer Camp at the Barn”, a week-long writing workshop at the Highlights Foundation this past July and was honored to work with Megan McDonald, of the Judy Moody series and the renowned Peter Jacoby.
I shared my essay with the other authors at the camp and was encouraged to send it out into the world.
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We Fought Hard. We Loved Hard. Momma and Me
“What do you want me to do,” she asked, “live until I’m 88?!” “No,” I replied quietly, “I want you to live until I’m 88.” It was at that moment I finally realized my mother was dying. I had been down this road with her for what seemed like an Read more