Lance Allred the official website of the Lance Allred who is not the professional Poker player

Dark Night of the Soul-

I have been home in the US now for near two weeks, confined away on a couch, reading, researching and pondering my own mind and YES... meditating, and experiencing the adrenaline rush that is fear of the unknown as the mind separates from the body. Not afraid to admit it anymore. We are all extensions of God. And we are all prophets.

While sitting here waiting to see where life next needs me in the world of basketball, I have been scheming and plotting the sequel to Longshot. I know the title, but won't give it away now. And while it is still fueled by basketball, I will now be having a sharp turn from the norm, as I will now be talking of the Dark Night of the Soul, which I traversed in Italy and the enlightenment that followed, as well as the enlightenment I still chase. Existentialism? Quantum Physics? Transcendentalism? Basketball? Mafia? A perfect blend!

I have been thinking of the ways to tell the story without being a blowhard, as I have been pondering these thoughts and other meanings: to existence and God, and our realities and does the world need a savior, or does it already have/had many saviors through the ages, and was Jesus a truly enlightened being, who understood the power of thoughts, and knew that thoughts truly materialize into matter- thoughts are things. So he was a savior, and so was Buddha, so was Ghandi.

I have been hesitant to tell of these thoughts, especially now, since Dan Brown beat me to the punch. Recently, I cluelessly picked up Dan Brown's new book, no clue what it was about. I had no idea I would literally be looking in the mirror and see all the thoughts I have been pondering over the last few months since the Dark Night, reflecting back to me. It was encouraging, and overwhelming as well. Yet, part of me was discouraged, feeling that Dan Brown stole my mojo.....but then again, Buddha, Mohammed and Jesus all beat us to the punch as well.... this is not a race. And knowledge is not limited to any one mind.

I am not too worried about gravitating or at least reaching out to welcome a new audience, while still hoping to maintain those who already follow me thanks to the game that is basketball. I understand that many felt I wrote too little of basketball, as well, there were some who felt I wrote too much of basketball. I will be second-guessed either way, and thus I must follow where the inspiration leads me. And hopefully as I do, newer readers will join, and many, if not all of my basketball followers will come with me as I continue to climb the ladder to "heaven," that is my mind.

But don't worry, there is still plenty of basketball to write about as well.

I have traversed through the Dark Night of the Soul, and I have lived to tell of it- And so I will.