He shrugged. 'I think grief is like a really ugly couch. It never goes away. You can decorate around it; you can slap a doily on top of it; you can push it to the corner of the room--but eventually, you learn to live with it.' Somehow, I thought, elephants had taken it a step further. They didn't grimace every time they entered the room and saw that couch. They said, 'remember how many good memories we had here?' And they sat, for just a little while, before moving elsewhere.
The quote discusses the nature of grief, comparing it to an ugly couch that never truly disappears from our lives. Although we may try to disguise or move our grief out of sight, it remains a constant presence. The struggle is to learn how to live with this burden rather than wish it away. The author suggests that, like elephants, we can choose to acknowledge our memories associated with grief instead of allowing it to overwhelm us.
Elephants serve as a metaphor for how to deal with sorrow. Instead of being plagued by painful memories, they reflect on the good times and sit with their memories briefly before continuing on. This perspective allows for a healthier relationship with grief, highlighting the importance of remembrance coupled with resilience. The overall message is about acceptance and finding a way to coexist with loss while cherishing the positive experiences connected to it.
