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.