Mourning Customs

In class on Thursday, we talked a bit about mourning customs in Islam. One tradition involved widows and childless mothers who wail and pull out their hair when they lose a loved one. I wanted to find out more of their customs.

http://www.seaservices.com/Muslim.htm

Here is an interesting one:

622. The dead body should be laid in the grave on its right side so that the face remains towards the Qibla.

The bodies are buried deep enough so animals cannot sniff them out, and can only be buried in graveyards.
I thought it was interesting that the bodies have to be laid a specific way. In Islam, it is always important to be facing the right direction.  Just before death, it is recommended that the dying use their final words to reflect on their devotion to Allah.

In class, we talked about the benefits of having a mourning process in other religions as well. In Judaism, the mourners are allowed one year to mourn, and at the end, celebrate. By going through a process of mourning, people can grieve easier. In our culture, there is no one right way to mourn. Sometimes we feel like bawling our eyes out, and other times we feel like our emotions aren't responding how they should.
By having a process, we can act our what were feeling and it can help us process our experiences. Through acting, we can sometimes force ourselves to believe it.

In this area, many generations were living in the same household, and as Prof. Silliman said, these people have witnessed death multiple times before witnessing their own. That was another thing that got me thinking...how many of us have the privilege of dying somewhere were comfortable. The majority of deaths occur in hospitals, nursing homes or other facilities. Other deaths occur through accidents and crime scenes.
At the time of death, we are experiencing our final moments on Earth in our current form, so why not be somewhere enjoyable?
To all the House fans, *spoiler* think back to last weeks episode about Wilson. He begged not to be taken to a hospital. He wanted the his cancer treatment to be given by House at his home. He didn't want to be surrounded by people to pity him, but wanted to die with dignity.
Dying is a part of life, and it is up to you how you handle it. Enjoy every minute you have.