When I was sixteen years old, before I was surprised with a car, my parents gave me one single gift-- almost as a test. I was given a small gold necklace with a little medallion that read 'GRATEFUL'. My parents wanted to see my reaction to such a small gift on an 'important' birthday. My reaction is not what they expected. I was ecstatic over the gift, because I had always found pleasure in the small, meaningful things in life. I wore the necklace every single day, to the point where others had noticed the staple piece of jewelry. The next year, my father had told us he was being deployed to Syria for the duration of my senior year. He pulled me aside one night and told me that he was glad I loved his gift so much and it made him realize how grateful I was for him and everything he does. Thankfully, my father ended up not being deployed, and instead sent to Virginia for medical testing due to an injury in the pre-deployment process. The necklace did not leave my neck until about two weeks into college, when the chain broke. I try to show gratitude for everything in my life.

When you are in a tough situation and you feel as if you are at your lowest, having something to remind you of what made you the person you are is extremely helpful to boost your spirits. For me, this was my necklace. It made me realize that materializing something in that manner is an even more rewarding feeling than just being grateful itself because it makes you realize that there is so much to be grateful for. I'm not saying that materialization is the key to happiness and being grateful. But finding a moment in life that you will never forget because of the immense amount of gratitude you had experienced and capturing it in an object, whether that be a necklace, or an empty soda bottle from a first date, or a birthday card from your grandmother -- whatever it is that helps bring you back to that moment, will also help you be grateful for events in your everyday life.

With this mindset, I think that I have become more grateful than I have been in the past. I realized that nothing is a given in life. To live to your fullest extent, you must be grateful for everything that is given to you. Telling people that you are grateful for them, at least once a week, is a minimal task that has outstanding consequences. The most important to tell however, is yourself. Reminding yourself of the good in life will not only bring positive energy to you, but also those around you. As James E. Faust once said, "A grateful heart is the beginning of greatness"-- and what better time is there to start appreciating those around you and yourself, other than now?