Kelly Corrigan Wonders Thanks For Being Here - Molly Merrihew's Essay for Cait & CeCe
Feb 15, 2026
Molly Merrihew, a writer who submitted a personal essay about loss, motherhood, and memory. She recounts her daughter Cecelia asking why an aunt died and how children sense adult rhythms. The piece traces February’s echo of grief, choosing words to explain death to a three-year-old, and how small moments keep the lost present.
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Child's Question Reveals Grief's Rhythm
- Molly Merrihew recounts her almost-three-year-old Cecilia asking, "Why did Caitlin die in February?".
- The question pulls Molly into memory and reveals how grief's rhythm has become part of family life and daily clutter.
A Photo Woven Into Daily Life
- Molly describes how Caitlin's senior photo is absorbed into everyday clutter like mail and coffee mugs.
- The photo's presence in routine life shows how the lost person remains both present and gone in family spaces.
Children Sense Unspoken Emotions
- Molly notes Cecilia watches and listens closely, sensing emotional states before words are spoken.
- She suggests children can pick up rhythms of grief either in the womb or by attuning to caregivers' unspoken cues.