Lise's Lens: February 12, 2026

This time, my decision to enjoy two books at once, one audio and one paperback, was a successful experiment. On audio I listened to the memoir Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as Told to Me) Story by Bess Kalb and I read the paperback of Passagères de Nuit by Yanick Lahens (who won the “Grand Prix du Roman de L’Academie Française this year). Both novels continue my streak of reading about women and their relationships with their mothers, daughters, and granddaughters. In Kalb’s memoir she regales us with humor about her grandmother’s story that is hers as well. It’s funny, witty, and she recalls text messages, letters, and conversations to bring her story to life. Ultimately, it’s about four generations of strong women and Jewish immigrant experiences, “blending hilarity with deep emotion.” In Lahen's novel, the main protagonists are Elizabeth and Regina. The book is divided into two parts, one taking place in New Orleans, the other in Haiti. It is the story of two women who found ways to be strong and proud in the midst of adversity. They strive for ways to not feel “trapped,” and grandmothers and great-grandmothers provide that inspiration.

This week I’ve been thinking about the "To Be of Use" by Marge Piercy. I think it’s resonating with me and keeps filtering through my thoughts because it’s February, a month when winter’s dark and cold can weigh heavily on our moods, making it harder to tackle the work that needs to be done. It’s gotten me thinking: What is work? What is our attitude about work? How do we approach it? Piercy points to those whose labor is steady, necessary, and often unseen, those who “toil on our behalf.” I see this every day on campus: the crews who clear snow, the teams who come from across the country to help with ice dams. Their work is neither easy nor glamorous, yet it is vital, meaningful, and done with dedication. It reminds me that when approached with care and commitment, work carries purpose, sometimes in ways that are tangible, sometimes simply in how it supports the lives of others. It’s a good reminder to find meaning in what we do, even in the cold and gray of February.

I recently came across this recording of Visual Arts Teacher Alison Safford providing an overview of CSW’s Art Department offerings and a closer look at her popular “Wearable Art” class. It was recorded as part of an online information session for prospective families, and it just got me thinking about how lucky our students are. They are lucky because they get to learn from amazing teachers like Alison, but they are also really fortunate to be able to reset and explore new interests every six weeks. In other schools, this time of year can feel like a monotonous, exhausting push to Spring Break. But with the mod system, our kids get to channel their energy into new projects, often with different classmates, different teachers, and entirely new subject matter, and I can see how energizing this is for them, at an otherwise dreary time in the calendar.