Now and again I am assaulted by great balloons of self-importance. I can feel them tugging, trying to pull me out of my native soil, separating me from the earth till I hang unbalanced, without anchor. With practice, I am getting better at recognizing the phenomenon, letting loose of my inflated visions of Me. When I can do this, my sense of belonging, of safety, returns.
— Nevada Barr, Seeking Enlightenment. . . Hat by Hat