As we watched the end of “Hatfields & McCoys” last night, I kept thinking over and over again, as the ashes settled, did either side look back on the hardships and the ruins of their families and think their actions were worth it?

Obviously, we’ll never truthfully know.  The mini-series implied it ~ but first hand accounts are few and far between.

But it made me think about actions in life.  Is the instant gratification worth the long-term pain?  Usually not.  Is hanging on to anger and hurt and pain healthy – in any way?  Definitely not.

But it’s more complicated than that, as we all know.  Life doesn’t exist in black & white.  Knowing the logic and reason behind something rarely takes the coloring and tinges of emotion out of the picture.

It’s really easy to get caught up in the small things.  And once you get caught up in them, they slowly become the big things, because having fixated on an issue, it grows at an exponentially fast rate.

It’s an interesting thing to wrap my brain around.  Thinking that events snow-balled to the point that Hatfield and McCoy men charged at each other in a battle with the intent to kill ~ not for justice, or freedom or a noble cause, but because two men held fast to feelings of injustice, and as time grew, their hatred engulfed not only them, but their kin as well ~ is craziness.  I mean, utterly incomprehensible, other than the fact that it actually took place.

I can think back and admit that there have been times in my life that I have walked away from friendships, and now, couldn’t pinpoint the exact cause.  It all just came together and was, for me, the best option.  I don’t carry a significant amount of hate in my heart ~ hating is exhausting, and gives credence where it is certainly not due.

But it makes me stop and think about the things that are niggling in my heart right now.  Is anything worth destroying precious relationships over?  In the end, it’s the people in your life who give life its substance.  And while sometimes you have to walk away, most of the time small perceived injustices aren’t worth holding onto.

Just my rambling thoughts for tonight.