The shelves were filled with coats and shoes that had carelessly tossed aside. Muddy shoes and forgotten text books. There must have at least five coats, and three pairs of shoes. A random stack of Pokémon cards sat in the corner. All of these things had been left behind, then shoved into the white cupboard, forgotten.

   Ever since I was young, I was taught to be grateful for everything that I have. I was taught that everything that was given to me, was worked for. I was taught to understand how lucky I was to have a roof over my head, food on the table, and clothes on my back. For a few years now, I've known my family doesn't have the most money, and that gave me even more of a reason to be grateful for what I had. I came to my current school in 2012. It was a real stretch for my parents to send me here, and I was very grateful. I always thought my school was a "rich kids school", and I was definitely not a rich kid. I knew most of my friends there had a lot more than me, and sometimes I got really jealous. Over time though, I realized what I had was worth much more than my friends' $200 boots. I had gratitude, and the knowledge that I will have to work hard for the thing I want. I know that when I grow up, I will know my parents aren't always going to be able to hand me everything I need.

A couple weeks ago, I came into school on a Monday. Walking through the halls, I glanced at all the brand new clothes my friends wore. Lots of the new clothes were of bands I love. I remembered how just last week, one of my friends said she wanted a Green Day shirt, and that is what she wore that next day. It seemed as if she just told her mom that she found this band and liked their music, so she got to go out and pick a shirt. I could see that she seemed to brush of a new shirt as nothing. I couldn't see if she purchased the shirt herself, or if her mom did. One thing I do know though, is that her mom would've had to get her to the mall, and whenever my mom does that, I'm really grateful because I don't live really close to the mall. See, money isn't the only thing to be grateful for. My mom always tells me that even if someone hands you a blade of grass in a plastic bag, you should be grateful because they took time out of their day to do that for you, and it's the thought that counts. So when her mom took her out, that was time and effort.

I can not tell up you how incredibly grateful I am to attend my school, it's such a fantastic school, and it's such and amazing opportunity that I get to come here. I know that even with my scholarships and financial aid we get, it's a big deal for my parents to send me here. I'm so grateful for the opportunity, and I realize the sacrifice my parents make for me. Sometimes, it doesn't seem like my friends understand how lucky they are, like me, to be getting this education. I here my friends complain about too much homework, or they talk about how they didn't do it. I hear lots of them want to leave, and I'm not sure they understand or are grateful for the wonderful opportunity given to them. Lots of my friends miss quite a bit of school, wether it be for vacation, being sick, or getting out early to do something fun. It seems like they don't care how much school they miss, and they don't understand that it's wastes money. I absolutely have being sick, because I know, even if it's just a few dollars, it's money that's being wasted. I do complain about homework, but I also now realize that it's homework I get to become a better student, homework my parents kind of pay for in a way. My parents pay for my education, and it really shows how much they love me, that's why I'm grateful.

I can remember sitting down for lunch one week, I was eating a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich I made my self. One of my friends sat down next to me, and I watched as she placed a large dish of spaghetti on the table. The first thing she said was, "My mom packs me too much food." This made me really angry because I couldn't understand how someone could be so ungrateful for something your mom did for you. That food was purchased, prepared, and packed for you. My mom hasn't made my lunches for me since I was in third grade. After this, another one of my friends said, "My mom always makes my lunch, I would never make my own! I'd refuse!" we then went on to ask another friend, she replied, "no I don't make my own lunch," and she has nothing else to say. I was just shocked at how ungrateful people could be for something like that.

Sometimes, it is really hard at school, because I know that I don't have as much as my peers. It's hard knowing I didn't go on a vacation this summer but my friends went to Paris, England, and Mexico. It's hard knowing my friends get whatever they want, when they want. Now though, I've come to be grateful for the fact that I will go to a good college and have a good career, because that was my motivation for getting good grades, not a new iPhone.