OK - sorry for my incorrect assumptions. And I shouldn’t have brought your situation into this. I was thinking about the number of kids who were there yesterday. I find it hard to believe that each of those hundreds of kids were deeply touched by the deceased.
I guess my impression (possibly wrong) is that different people attend such things for quite different reasons. And not all of them involve some deep felt connection with the deceased or their family.
I get the impression that at least SOME people get some satisfaction out of presenting themselves as more affected than they actually are (or reasonably ought to be). But - as I’ve said before, it is likely that I am the one deserving criticism for being the emotionless bastard thinking that.
I couldn’t imagine holding a public wake like that for anyone I lost. Didn’t wake either of my parents. Waked my MIL because that’s what she and her other daughter wanted. Personally, I found it an exhausting exercise.
But everyone gets to participate however they wish, for whatever reasons they wish. Me, I basically showed up for the sake of appearances, and to support my wife.