The quote reflects on the extraordinary way elephants experience grief in the wild. Unlike humans, who often struggle with the concept of letting go due to beliefs in an afterlife and hopes of reuniting with lost loved ones, elephants seem to process their sorrow deeply but eventually move on. This comparison highlights a fundamental difference in how these two species handle loss and memory.
The insight suggests that elephants live in the present, holding on to memories without the burden of expectations for the future. Their ability to mourn intensely yet release their grief could be attributed to their lack of religious or spiritual beliefs that comfort humans. This observation emphasizes the complexity of mourning across species and invites a deeper understanding of how different beings cope with life's inevitable changes.