President's Message - National League of American Pen Women

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A message from Jean Holmes

Jean Holmes, newly elected president, delivered the following address at her Installation in Little Rock at the 45th Biennial. The theme for the biennial was

"Three Ways to Tell Her Story."

Jean's address to those present and her message to Pen Women across America:

More Ways to Tell Our Story

Seneca said, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Actually, Seneca’s mother said that, but women didn’t get much credit in first-century Rome.

How far we have come.

And so today marks the beginning of a new administration for N.L.P.A.W. Taylor and the outstanding women on her board now become part of our history. This is “the end of that beginning.”

We are starting over, and I wonder what we will create together next.

Women are creators, and although not every woman gives physical birth, we are all hardwired with the instinct to protect and preserve what we have produced. As a mother guides her offspring from helplessness to independence, we are the stewards of this organization, this business. We are responsible for its survival, its growth and its prosperity.

Traditionally, the Pen Woman president gives up two years of her life to devote to this child--who is now 113 years old.

We did not create the League; we will not witness her end, but it is our charge for a time to foster her. We are the stewards of an organization with a proud history and a future with many stories yet to be told.

The next two years stretch out before me as an empty page, a blank canvas, an instrument sitting silent waiting to delight the ears.

We hold tenaciously onto our beliefs and a group culture that has evolved over the past century. We are built on a sure foundation, and we learn the lessons of our history to find new paths to accommodate the needs of our next generation of Pen Women.

As good stewards it could be wise to revisit some aspects of things that may have outlived their utility.

Growth is essential, conflict is inevitable, and success is always to be pursued. It will take faith and courage to do what needs to be done.

But one thing is certain, there are more ways to tell our story--be it with words or colors or images or musical notes on a page. And the story of we American Pen Women will grow as we grow. Our branches will branch out, and our numbers will increase. We reach hand to hand to support each other and together reach out to lift up our younger sisters in the arts. And also, through outreach, to offer children the opportunity to discover the joys of creating.

As President for the next two years, I ask for your help, because I can’t do this alone. I need your encouragement, your support, your ideas, your honesty, and most of all, your prayers.

Jean E. Holmes

11 April 2010

Little Rock, Arkansas