#ThankYouTaylor

Like maybe the joke in the MV was the first joke joe had said to her and he was nervous to say it because maybe she wouldn’t think it wasn’t funny but she ended up loving it

Or maybe the first time Taylor and joe were at an event or dinner and he goes to sit somewhere and she goes “I saved you a seat” and her nerves go away when he smiles and sits next to her

And now it’s 3 summers later and they laugh about it because one of them will bring it up and they’ll remember the time before they were

Just under 3 years ago, I had one of the worst days of my life. Someone that I thought was a friend came over to watch a movie with me, and it ended in my entire life being turned upside down. A person I thought I could trust took advantage of me and raped me.

I remember going to class the next day, trying to pretend nothing happened. I remember downplaying it when I went to the hospital, thinking that as long as I was fine physically I would be mentally too. I remember reporting it to my school because he worked for residence life, and thought it would help protect others. I remember when they asked me “what made you unable to assert yourself” during that investigation, even though I said and he admitted that I said stop – what more was I supposed to do? I remember the multiple months I spent in the hospital battling suicidal thoughts, and the months I spent in the hospital because one of the medications they gave me to help me had paralyzed my stomach and causing additional chronic health issues. I remember the fear I lived in when the school found him guilty yet didn’t expel him. I remember the fear I lived in when I decided to report it the police. I remember the fear from when I showed up to the first trial date and he was not there – he was missing, and no one knew where he was for over 6 months. And I remember how that fear took me so far that I shouldn’t be alive right now, and how I really just got lucky that someone called the police who found me before I was too far gone. But then you said something that changed my life:

“I’m not going to allow you or your client to say I am to blame”

It was the first time I believed it wasn’t my fault. You were the reason I was hanging on. I listened to your music on repeat. I bought my tickets to the rep tour while I was in a psychiatric ward on the bathroom floor. I repeated your words over and over in my head because I wouldn’t have gotten through otherwise. I needed something to hold on to, and it was you.

It’s been quite the journey since then, and it changed me in ways I didn’t know people could change. I’ve lost friends, called names, I’m afraid to go out in public, and trying to feel safe place to exist is a nightmare. I’ve been told by professors that missing school to go to the trial “spoke to my character” because their class was supposedly more important. I almost got kicked out of residence & was kicked out of nursing clinical until “my anxiety was under control”

But I’ve found time can heal most anything. It’s been 2 years and 11 months since this all happened, and I’m happy to share that I’m ~starting~ to find my old self. I start medical school at the end of August, I’m moving to a city that I love, and I’m starting to trust people and make friends again. And for the first time, I know that this is just the beginning, and that things will get better.

@taylorswift, I hope that you know my life would be possible without you. You and your music have stopped me from drowning, and supported me this whole time. Every time I walk into a stadium or arena that you’re performing in, it’s like all of my anxieties, fears, sadness, and anger all disappear. It’s the only place I’ve felt like that since it happened. You make me feel safe, and that lets me make friends at your shows. I will never be able to explain how much you mean to me and how grateful I am for you. I am beyond thankful and love you so much. 💗

To anyone who has ever been a victim of sexual assault: I share my story because Taylor taught me to speak now, to stand up for women and against rape culture. It’s hard, REALLY hard, and when I first reported or talked about it, it sent me to rock bottom. But once you get there and push yourself up, speaking up and out is freeing. Therapeutic almost. Maybe that isn’t for everyone, but what I want you to know is that you are not alone, and as cliche as it sounds, things really do get better. ✨

@taylorswift @taylornation @tree-paine

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

#STHSY4T

Don’t forget to get your votes in for Taylor at the #VMAs!!  💞 We need you guys! 

@taylorswift ( @taylorswift13 ) In honor of you sharing your poems with us, here is Page’s poem for you 😊

“My Memory… “ By Page Gross (age 11) 9-11-15

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 ball, I mean, ball, ball

After that I didn’t remember anything at all

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

This is how Gorgeous makes me feel💕

@taylorswift ( @taylorswift13 ) In honor of you sharing your poems with us, here is Page’s poem for you 😊

“My Memory… “ By Page Gross (age 11) 9-11-15

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 ball, I mean, ball, ball

After that I didn’t remember anything at all

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

Hi @taylorswift 👋

In case you're needing 1 of these today 💜💙💚❤💛