“This is my year of growth, being positive, and having love for myself and others.” -Logan Renshaw Journal
Cherish the Little Things
When our daughter Logan was attending college at FAU, she talked to my wife Helen, me, or her brother Cayden almost every day.
For me, sometimes it was a long talk during my ride home from work or just a quick text. We would catch up on how everything was going at school. Other times, it was random conversation or laughing about awkward moments from our day. These were precious moments as parents, and we were always grateful that Logan called and made time for her family.
One late afternoon, Helen and I were on a video with Logan while she was at school. She was sitting in the cafeteria crying from the stress of the semester and that she wanted to come home. Then at one point, she started to smile. Then she laughed. Finally, she panned the video over to a girl sitting behind her. The girl was talking to her mom and was also crying about wanting to come home. Logan found humor in her situation. She gained perspective that things weren’t so bad. It was just part of growing up and becoming independent. Every day, we can choose what to focus on.
Listen to Your Heart
A couple weeks later Logan called me from school very upset. There was a sense of urgency and determination in her voice. “Dad, there is so much need in the world. I want to be a teacher. I want to join the Peace Corps. We need to clean up the environment, help the poor, and care for abused children. We need to start now!” I tried to coach her like most parents would do. “Logan, slow down. Let’s focus on college. Concentrate on this semester and the classes you have right now. You have your whole life to make a difference.”
You have your whole life…those words echo in my mind every day. Logan didn’t have time and we lost her in a car accident a month later on February 2, 2018. None of us know how much time we have. There are no guarantees in life. There may not be a tomorrow. Logan lived her 20 years fully and with great passion and often impatience. She felt the urgency. She saw the need. She wanted to take action. She was trying to live a life that supported her values and important causes. We are grateful for the time we had with her.
The Lens of Life
How we view life is like looking through the narrow lens of a camera. If we only focus on what’s bad in the world, then that becomes our reality. Whether it’s violence and hatred, fearing or judging others who are different, the chaos of politics, or the isolation of social media. What we read, watch, and hear shapes who we become. It gets reinforced in our mind. If we’re not careful, it can negatively impact our mood, beliefs, and how we interact with others.
The Power of Purpose
When Logan passed, we focused on why her, why now, why us, and the tragic details of the car accident that took her from us. Then we had to decide what to do next—let sorrow overtake us or choose to honor Logan’s life and create something positive and have an impact. It’s a daily challenge, it’s painful, and a very difficult journey especially as time passes and the world moves on. Growth and adapting to change never comes easy when it comes to loss and grief but every day we get to choose what happens next.
Thanks to the ongoing love and support of our friends and family, we have come to realize what we’ve always known in our hearts: people are good. Life is precious. Each of us matters. We can make a difference. Logan’s spirit is with us every day and has given us hope, strengthens our faith, and has called us to a higher purpose. This brings us joy, happiness, and fulfillment.
Logan’s Love
In one of Logan’s last journal entries, she quoted a favorite book I had given her to read titled, The Book of the Awakening: “We are born with our obligation—to become completely who we are.” What a great quote and invitation to share our gifts, to love, to experience life fully, to appreciate today, and to become the best version of ourselves. Every day, we can choose what to focus on.
With much love!
Al Renshaw
Logan’s Love is a volunteer organization. We welcome donations to help support the youth programs and community and environmental causes important to Logan and our family. Together, let’s be the light and make a difference.
