Audrey de Witte writes a most thought provoking opinion piece in the Newcastle Herald (Aussies seem to think dying is unnatural, NH Monday Sept 21, 2015 p.11), that calls on her Dutch heritage and the way her mother and grandmother dealt with death.
“It’s common practice in the Netherlands when someone dies that their body lies in a glass top coffin in the family home for up to a week before a funeral ceremony is held.” It provides the opportunity “to share stores and celebrate a life.”
Audrey concludes that: ” … if we are comfortable with death – the death of loved ones and our own death, then we will live life more fully and completely.”
See: http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3361204/opinion-aussies-seems-to-think-dying-is-unnatural/