Speaker Lujan Passes Away

Speaker Lujan words of wisdom; Feb. 15,  2012

It is with a very heavy heart that we write a blog post regarding the passing of our New Mexico Speaker for the House of Representatives Ben Lujan. Speaker Lujan passed away last night at around 10:45 from lung cancer. 

A tireless man working for the good of the people, and the earth.

The following press release was issued from his wonderful son, our Congressman, Ben Ray Lujan:
Speaker Ben Lujan succumbs to lung cancer. He died at approximately 10:45 Tuesday evening after a short stay at CHRISTIS St. Vincent’s hospital. His wife Carmen, children including Congressman Ben Ray Lujan and their grandchildren were all at his bedside. He died peacefully without complications. Funeral arrangements are pending. He was a member of the House since 1975 and served as Majority Whip, Majority Floor Leader and House Speaker. On opening day of the 2012 legislative session, he announced that he was not going to seek re-election and disclosed that he had stage 4 lung cancer. 

The Sierra Club released the following statement:
New Mexico loses an environmental champion. When New Mexico Speaker of the House Ben Luján passed this morning, the world lost an environmental hero.
Over and over through the years, Luján protected the people of New Mexico from destructive legislation that would have put our children and grandchildren in jeopardy. He initiated and advocated for many successful laws that preserve our unique quality of life in the Southwest.
The Speaker's continued work for the state during his illness was a sign of his steadfast dedication to the greater good, and in that time he made important progress in protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink.
New Mexico and the world are truly better places because Ben Luján served our state. The Rio Grande Chapter will miss him, and we send our condolences to Lujan's wife, Carmen, his son, U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, and his entire family.

What a gift to New Mexico to have Speaker Lujan in our presence. To watch his wife Carmen and the Speaker together you could see true companionship, true love and commitment. To watch how proud they were and humble is a lesson to us all.

My heart goes out to Carmen and their family and to Congressman Lujan you are gifted as well. Take good care in these days ahead.

My Favorite poem regarding the passing of our loved ones:

The Ship by Bishop Brent
A ship sails and I stand watching till she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says She is gone.
Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large now as when I last saw her. Her diminished size and total loss from my sight is in me, not in her.
And just at that moment, when someone at my side says she is gone, there are others who are watching her coming over their horizon and other voices take up a glad shout - There she comes!
That is what dying is. An horizon and just the limit of our sight.
Lift us up O Lord, that we may see further.