“I'm feeling like I'm famous, the talk of the town. They say I've gone mad. Yeah, I've gone mad.” – Bruno Mars

Time is never linear.
It travels in circles.

A good few years ago, I was down and out for the count. I could imagine the referee’s fingers counting to ten and right before my blurry eyes. The cheers of friends and family echoed in my ears. Then, by sheer will (pun, fully intended), I got up.

Now, a few thousand days later, once again, I stand face to face with Life, himself. And I’m being bashed – left, right, and center. My career progression is at a stand still and I feel like Aron Ralston – Yes, the same guy who was featured in the biographical film, 127 Hours. Yes, I’m trapped and I’ve gone mad.

The last career stint was wrapped in a veil of beautiful promises. While time and time again, I got disappointed by the lack of leadership, mentorship and ethics. It’s a great product, and I still stand by its strong and noble intentions. But it’s dying for a great leader to steer the ship.

“I'm feeling like I'm famous, the talk of the town. They say I've gone mad. Yeah, I've gone mad.” – Bruno Mars

Amidst a cacophony of sirens, yells, and the cracking flames of burning houses, I staggered into the welcoming darkness of the night. I draped a cloak around me and made haste out of the village. As the mayhem drifts further away, I journeyed on, wanting to take refuge deep into the nearest forest. Soon, I succumbed to fatigue and took a breather under a colossal tree-like structure. The view of the sky was obstructed by the dense canopy and I was engulfed in darkness.

A faint light from the burning village allowed me to catch a glimpse of my surrounding. “Well… What do we have here?” a strange creature appeared from the lush leaves of the nearby bush. “My name is Wik, and I am a Witte Wieven of the Enition Forest.” The creature grinned and offered a handshake. I stretched out my hand with extreme caution.

According to folklore, Witte Wievens are Witches from the Netherlands whose spirits remained on earth and became living spirits (or elven beings) that either helped or hindered people who encountered them. They tend to reside in the burial grounds or other sacred areas.

The ground around me started rumbling and wooden spikes began to emerge and forming a cage around me. I rolled my eyes in exasperation and uttered to myself,“I just got out of this damn thing.”