Have you ever been to a funeral or memorial service? The grieving family and friends have their attention divided between holding back their inner sobs and trying to relate to others who are gathered to share their memories. The harmony of quivering voices overlaying a solemn code of conduct gets punctuated by bouts of laughter from the telling of funny anecdotes. I suspect the comical stories are tacitly required so that participants have some sanctioned relief from the somber mood.
