As the publisher of the sales portal SalesGravy.com I am asked by authors and publicists almost every day to write reviews of books. Rarely though have I had the opportunity to review a book that touched me as deeply as Michelle Nichols’s, Hug Your Kids Today: 5 Key Lessons for Every Working Parent.  As the father of a ten year- old son everything about this book hit home.

In the first half of the book Nichols tells the story of losing her young son Mark to brain cancer. It is a heart wrenching story that Nichols manages to tell with humor and grace. The process she and her family go through to deal with the grief and anguish is made real through diary excerpts, photos, and snap shots of the pain involved in losing a child. By page 56 I was sitting on the couch in my living room weeping. Thankfully I was alone in my house at the time. I’m a grown man – men don’t cry over books! But the story filled me with regret for the moments I had missed with my own child and the hurt I felt for Michelle and her family.

Then in Part 2, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Nichols delivers an inspiring and uplifting message, delivering 5 Key Lessons for Every Working Parent. In these chapters she proves that good can come from tragedy and that God has a purpose for everyone and everything in life.

My favorite is Lesson #2 Carpe Kids – love your kids for who they are, not what they are. This lesson is all about focusing on the positive, catching your kids doing something right, and replacing endless criticism with praise. This is a very hard lesson to learn and difficult to put into practice, but is critical for becoming a positive influence in your kid’s life.

More than anything this book caused me to take action. I have worked hard to truly enjoy every moment I have had with my son this summer. I have hugged him and amazingly, he hugs back. We have become closer and though I still make mistakes, I’m more aware of my failures as a parent. I treasure the moments we have together; and though I regret all of the moments I missed in the past, I am determined to make the most of today, tomorrow and the years to come.

What I respect the most is how Nichols opens up her soul, exposes her faults, and humanizes parenting. Unlike so many books on parents and kids that make one feel inadequate and unworthy, the message in Hug Your Kids Today is simple yet so powerful:  Go put your arms around your kids and hug them. Life is short and un-predictable – you may never get the chance again.