I was watching an episode of “The Andy Griffith Show” the other day — yeah, I enjoy the show despite its slowness with today's culture — and was struck by a conversation Andy had with two feuding parties.

Sheriff Taylor was trying to get to the root of the Hatfield and McCoys type feud and learned something interesting. The conversation went like this:

Mr. Carter: "The reason, sheriff? Of course, I know the reason I'm shooting at him."

Andy: "Well, how come?"

Mr. Carter: "Because he's a Wakefield."

Andy: "Well, what does that mean to you?"

Carter: "It means I gotta shoot at him."

Andy: "Well, why do you have to shoot at him."

Carter: "Because he's a Wakefield."

Andy: "Well, why do you have to shoot at the Wakefields?"

Carter: "Because we're feuding."

Andy: "Well, why are you feuding?"

Carter: "Because he's a Wakefield."

Andy: "You know, I don't believe you're understanding me. Now let's start all over again. I want to know why you're feuding with the Wakefields."

Carter: "Oh, because we're shooting at each other."

It seems that nobody bothered to tell the Wakefields or the Carters why the feuding occurred. They just accepted that that's what they do.

We can laugh at that but it seems like this is a lesson for other feuds we are seeing.

Democrats versus the Republicans.

Conservatives versus liberals.

Left versus right.

Neo-Nazis versus blacks.

Muslims versus the Christians.

North Korea versus the United States.

Media versus Trump.

Some of the feuding seems to defy logic. This camp attacks this camp. That camp attacks this camp.

It seems some have just gone over the civility cliff and it just gets crazier and crazier. It's like the world has forgotten about common courtesy, reasoning with one another and treating one another with respect even if we disagree. I never grew up being taught that if you disagree with someone, wish for them to be murdered.

On Monday, the eclipse seemed to stop all the crazy bickering if only for minutes, or hours. One event reminded us we are all inhabitants of the same planet.

It was nice. It was civil. It was peaceful and refreshing.
We need more of it. We need to love others.

Hopefully it doesn't require another eclipse.