My dad played two roles in my life when I was growing up. In the absence of my mother, he had to step up and become both my mother and my father. And trust me, he gave everything when it came to his children. As I reflect back on all that he did for us, I want to take the time today to thank him from the bottom of my heart. I would not be even close to the person I am today without him, his love and his enthusiasm. Because of this wonderful man, I had the courage and strength to pursue my own dreams, and I am lucky enough to be doing what I love because his love was so strong.

I also wanted to share a little secret with you ladies. Whether you are daughters or wives or even the mothers of grown boys, there is one area that men tend to neglect for themselves. They aren't usually willing to treat themselves to a little pampering, but they need it just as much as you and me. We love and care for our men, but when it comes to giving the gift of skincare and maintenance, we usually don’t think of men. We get them power tools, endless amounts of ties, and all sorts of tools for the yard. But men love to be pampered too.

I admit I've done it myself! I've got a regular skincare routine and facial schedule, but my father is the last person who would even think about doing the same. One time, he came to visit me from San Diego and I offered to give him a facial. "Are you kidding me?" He said, laughing. "I'm old already, I don't need a facial and people will laugh at me." Even though he insisted, I convinced him to try it out. Guess what? He's hooked now. He actually asks for facials now, no encouragement necessary.

So consider giving the man in your life — father, husband, son, brother — a little bit of a push to try out a facial. Show them you love them with a little treat, some time to relax, and some expert advice from the estheticians at Beauty Journey. Not only will your man come out looking great, we've got everything he needs to maintain it by himself at home. Even if he comes in just once, we've got the tools and products to keep him looking great. (See, you can still incorporate tools into the gift.) Most men, like my dad, haven't experienced a facial and are usually hesitant to ask for one, so with just a little push, they might find that they've been missing out on something all along.

Surprise the man in your life with something unexpected this year. Once he’s in the chair and leans back, there will be no going back. He will be hooked! Grab your customizable gift card here.

Some of you might already know the story about my Mom. I usually try to avoid mentioning her, because the experience was such an unexpected and sad event in my life. It's hard to believe, but she has been gone for more than 30 years, and still when I think about her or try to talk about her, I end up in tears.

It was an average day when I was a teenager that everything changed in an instant. Out of nowhere, my mother complained to my father about a horrible and painful stomachache she was having. It wasn’t common for her to complain about anything, so my father took her words seriously and brought her to our family doctor. Upon seeing her, the doctor immediately told my father to bring her straight to the hospital. Panicked, he did as the doctor said. When they arrived, my father was asked to sign a consent form. He did so without reading it thoroughly, and they whisked my mother to surgery. The entire ordeal was overwhelming for him for my dad who had no previous experience with emergency rooms or hospitals. He figured he did everything as he was told. Now all that was left to do was wait for it to be over.

But my mother never emerged from the operating room. She passed away that day during the operation. The doctor’s only explanation was that she had a reaction during surgery, and just like that she was gone.

The suddenness of this entire experience is impossible to process even today. My mother was a kind and loving woman who put her family first and loved all of us with an “unmeasured love, and because she was taken so suddenly, none of us have been able to properly return that love.

I tell you this story as we approach Mother’s Day not to make you sad, but instead to highlight just how precious every moment is. None of us know how long we get in this life. Most of the time, we’re not paying attention. We expect that all of our loved ones will be right where we expect them tomorrow, but this story is proof that this is not always the case.

We may not be able to predict the future and we can’t go around anticipating the end, but what we can do is appreciate every moment as it happens. Let’s take this time to savor the moments that we do get, enjoy the time we spend with our loved ones as they happen, and be grateful for all the time we’ve already gotten

Enjoy your mothers, grandmothers, aunts, daughters and sisters this Mother’s Day. Savor every moment on this beautiful journey we call life. Celebrate them this month with a special instant gift card to show them how much you care.

Enjoy your mothers, grandmothers, aunts, daughters and sisters this Mother’s Day. Savor every moment on this beautiful journey we call life.