After centuries of conflict across the globe, with events that cost millions of lives, along with a heavy toll of damaged minds, the world today has become an atmosphere of utter confusion, over whether poor leadership in many countries will have history repeat itself, in the darkness of relentless greed, and the quest for power at all cost.

Damaged young minds can usually lurk in the shadows of any society, until one day the impulse to harm as an act of revenge can explode with deadly results.

Not every damaged young mind will resort to such tactics, but it takes only one person to shatter many lives for ever when it happens.

As long as there are parts of the world, where men, women, and children, suffer to an extent where they are willing to risk their lives trying to seek something better, our world will be confronted with the issue of badly damaged minds.

There is no society on this earth without its share of damaged minds, and that includes large and small countries. What makes the situation even more disturbing, is that in some cases, people even with damaged minds have been able to work their way into leadership positions.

This happens around the world, and creates a dilemma for all who yearn for decency and freedom along with respect for truth. What are young people to think these days, when they see powerful countries flexing their military muscles over issues that should be sorted out at a negotiating table.

With powerful nuclear weapons at their disposal, a wrong move could be disastrous. That is a very unpleasant thought. However, hope should never be abandoned.

When contemplating the state of the world today, one must be careful to note that while horror stories capture headlines worldwide, there are countless stories of courage and faith by people in all regions that often go unnoticed by a wide audience of people who focus more on the negatives instead of positives.

There are very good people in every society who quietly give of themselves without fanfare, to help others, because they believe a society can only be as strong as its values.

The question of values is important, because too often in a materialistic climate, values are shoved aside in the quest for wealth and power.

This can become a nightmare when politicians in positions of power, play games with the truth, and openly blame the free press for exposing activity that is contrary to transparent democracy.

Meanwhile, much of the free world is locked in a struggle to accommodate thousands of men, women and children who each day seek refuge away from brutal regimes.

The family structure, as we know it, hardly exists, because of poverty and violent suppression.

In the middle of such horrendous conditions, many young minds unable to cope can be vulnerable later for terrorist groups always on the hunt for angry damaged minds.

The most powerful nations on earth with huge armies and a wide range of nuclear weapons will never be a match for a strong family, anchored in solid values, who teach early golden rules for good living.

A small example of this was a story on CBS News recently, about a boy who promised his parents at the age of 4 to never miss a day at school, as a tribute to his little sister.

Despite illness, she attended school up until the day she died.

He was recently awarded an excellent attendance certificate at the age of 13 before proud parents.

So committed was he for that goal, that he even turned down a trip to Disney World, because it would have meant missing school days. There are many other stories about young minds developing in the most important place, the family.

In a world so riddled with bitterness and hatred, there is a grave need for leaders to be as committed to decent values as that young men was for the love his sister.

No amount of weaponry, or economic power by any country, will ever be a substitute for freedom, decency and truth.