Dear Taylor,

    I started writing this book shortly after Page & I met you in 2013.  The amazing journey our family had just experienced filled my heart with such happiness that I wanted to try to help as many others as I could, like you have helped us.  I thought if I could write about this, sharing information and hope about my own cancer journey, possibly it could help someone else on theirs. Even though I knew what I wanted to say, the fog that the chemotherapy had left me in, combined with the ever present fatigue of my illness, made, and still makes, formulating those words and arranging them into this story, quite difficult to do.  It’s taken me every bit of my energy, working on it as much as I could each day, until my head would spin with confusion, my body would sway from fatigue, and chills would course up and down my arms.  Completing it happily today, on this the 2nd year anniversary of our wonderful meet & greet, makes me smile, both in remembrance of our journey, and also in satisfaction that our family has, thanks to you, accomplished yet another goal.  

From the beginning, I’ve wanted this book to be a ‘Thank You’ to you for the help you’ve given our daughter, Page.  For as far back as she can remember you’ve been like a best friend to her.  She has looked up to you, and turned to you often, in thinking, “What would Taylor do?”.  The honesty and openness of your life, words and actions, has helped her everyday.  Your family’s closeness and values seem to echo our own, and all of this has helped to impress upon her to believe in herself, learn from her mistakes, enjoy her journey, and most importantly, that she, too, can handle anything.

Page and I both, also, hope that this book will help you and your family in the way I’d intended it to help others.  After reading your April 9th Tumblr post about your mother’s recent diagnosis, the emotions we have for you and your family, are on so many levels.  From Page, she understands what you’re going through as she, too, is the daughter of a mother with cancer, and from myself, I feel as I’m sure your mother does, as a mother with cancer and how that affects her daughter.  My hands shook as I typed a response to your post, as I too, had written such similar words about a year before “If you’ve never heard these words, I hope you never do” / “I hope and pray that you never get news like this”. Your words leapt off the page to me, straight to my heart.

Please know how special you, and your entire family, are to mine.  Since our journey, we’ve posted on our website (http://www.lotsoflifeonalittlelot.com/thank-you-taylor-swift.html) a thank you to you and also links to your good deeds so that others may know how good you and your family are to others.  In addition, since your Tumblr post, we’ve posted on Twitter (@OurTaylorStory) and on Tumblr (@a3swiftiefamily) a happy post each day to send #Smiles4TheSwifts in case any of you are needing an extra :)  If ever there is anything we can help you with please know that your family can count on ours.  I send our thanks, love, hugs and well wishes to you and yours.                                    

                                                                         -Sincerely, 

                                                                          Elizabeth Gross

taylorswift this letter is a copy of the same one that i wrote to you and that is included at the beginning of my new book Dream Accomplished.  this book took me 2 years to write and i’ve written it as a personal thank you to you for the kindness you have shown my daughter during my cancer journey. the difference you’ve made in our lives will never be forgotten! we had hoped to give you the very 1st hard copy at #1989Cleveland. i’d left a message with your father as to where our seats were and believe me when i say, page’s & my heart both skipped a beat to hear your voice on the message. we thought you’d picked up directly! i’m sorry we weren’t able to give it to you directly that night, but we did give it to #Kevin at TN and he said he’d make sure you got it. if for some reason it went astray, please let me know and we’ll send another. we had a wonderful time shaking off our troubles with you that night, as we do each day, and my family wishes you and yours the best. we hope you all are having a great day

 -e :)

Dear Taylor,

I started writing the book, ‘Dream Accomplished’, shortly after Page & I met you in 2013. The amazing journey our family had just experienced filled my heart with such happiness that I wanted to try to help as many others as I could, like you have helped us.

I thought if I could write about this, sharing information and hope about my own cancer journey, possibly it could help someone else on theirs.

Even though I knew what I wanted to say, the fog that the chemotherapy had left me in, combined with the ever present fatigue of my illness, made, and still makes, formulating those words and arranging them into this story, quite difficult to do. It’s taken me every bit of my energy, working on it as much as I could each day, until my head would spin with confusion, I would sway from fatigue, and chills would course through me.

Completing it happily today, on this the 2nd year anniversary of our wonderful meet & greet, makes me smile, both in remembrance of our journey, and also in satisfaction that our family has, thanks to you, accomplished yet another goal.

From the beginning, I’ve wanted this book to be a ‘Thank You’ to you for the help you’ve given our daughter, Page.

For as far back as she can remember you’ve been like a best friend to her. She has looked up to you, and turned to you often, in thinking, “What would Taylor do?”. The honesty and openness of your life, words and actions, has helped her everyday. Your family’s closeness and values seem to echo our own, and all of this has helped to impress upon her to believe in herself, learn from her mistakes, enjoy her journey, and most importantly, that she, too, can handle anything.

Page and I both, also, hope that this book will help you and your family in the way I’d intended it to help others. After reading your April 9th Tumblr post about your mother’s recent cancer diagnosis, the emotions we have for you and your family, are on so many levels. From Page, she understands what you’re going through as she, too, is the daughter of a mother with cancer, and from myself, I feel as I’m sure your mother does, as a mother with cancer and how that affects her daughter. My hands shook as I typed a response to your post, as I too, had written such similar words about a year before “If you’ve never heard these words, I hope you never do” / “I hope and pray that you never get news like this”. Your words leapt off the page to me, straight to my heart.

Please know how special you, and your entire family, are to mine. Since our journey, we’ve posted on our website (http://www.lotsoflifeonalittlelot.com/thank-you-Taylor-Swift.html) a thank you to you and also links to your good deeds so that others may know how good you and your family are to others. In addition, since your Tumblr post, we’ve posted on Twitter (@OurTaylorStory) and on Tumblr (@a3swiftiefamily & @ourtaylorstory) happy posts to send #Smiles4TheSwifts in case any of you are needing an extra :) If ever there is anything we can help you with please know that your family can count on ours.

I hope this book, and the fact that the profits are donated to help others, makes you proud. I send our thanks, love, hugs & well wishes to you & yours.

‑Sincerely, Elizabeth Gross :)

*This ‘Dear Taylor letter’ was included in the first specially made hard copy edition of the book, but that book didn’t include a copy of the poem, ‘My Memory’, by my daughter, Page. I am happy to include that poem here, in this revision for paperback, along with additional pictures at the end of this story about the continuation of our journey in 2015.

My Memory…

By Page Gross 9-11-15 (age 11)

I remember the look on my Mother’s face,

She was crying,

and so was I,

We had just met Taylor Swift.

She was as sweet and caring as all the books, magazines say,

She bent down, and said,

“Hello Page! I’ve been waiting to meet you!”

Instantly I went into shock,

She smelled like her Wonderstruck perfume,

She had at least 4-inch heels on,

She was already 5’11”,

She had a firm grip, and kept it for the whole hug.

Her teeth shined like a pearl and her hair was like a golden waterfall.

I didn’t stutter, or blurt,

I really didn’t say anything at all.

We had a good 10-15 minutes with her, but it went by like it was Two.

We said ‘thank you’ twenty times

We got our pictures, and went back to our seats in the crowd.

Instantly, when we got back to our seats, I started to bawl,

I mean, bawl, bawl

After that I didn’t remember anything at all

But, I will always remember the Swifts’ for the rest of my life.

This book is dedicated to my husband, Marc, and our daughter, Page. Together we are Team MEP :) :) :) Thank you, Marc, for always believing in me. You’ve given me support and encouragement every day for the last 19 years. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you. Thank you for taking care of me. I love you. Page, you are the best part of my life. I’m complete because of you. Thank you for your smiles, hugs, encouragement, smart thoughts, help and humor. I couldn’t have done any of this without you. I love you.

THANK YOU TAYLOR

“We wanted to say Thank You, to you, Taylor”, is how the last paragraph of this book begins.

Yet this book really should start like that as well, because even though this is our personal story of a cancer journey and a mother’s love for her daughter, it ultimately is a Thank You to Taylor Swift.

So I’ve decided to start it like that as well.

Let’s begin…..

amzn.to/1OyOqTe