Death

On the way to school each day, we drive through a squatter community. It is called Golden Hills, which I always find a little ironic as I see the shacks the people are living in. A couple of days ago, we noticed that a tent had been set up in front of a house. We actually couldn't help but notice since it protrudes into the street. The tent butts up to the entrance of a house. The doors have been thrown open, and inside is child size casket with a candle that burns day and night. The casket is closed by there is a glass window that is open so that you could see the person inside if you walked up the casket. The first couple of days, there were just people sitting in the house with the casket, day or night. There is a lot of crying. The casket will actually be at the house for around a week before they bury it. As in the US, people bring food for the family, but they stay and eat with them. Around the third day, people begin to gamble under the tent. Every time I have driven by in the last couple of days, there have been people sitting out there gambling. From what I understand, the money will be used by the family of the deceased to pay for food for all those who come to visit and to pay for the funeral expenses.
I wonder if grief is more acceptable here in the Philippines. It seems to me that in the US, we are uncomfortable with death and grief. We want those who remain to return to life quickly and for things to settle into a new normal. Being busy doesn't fix the pain or heal the loss, and we don't know what to do with it. I don't know if it is the same here.