Simeon Stylites

I spent a weekend in some luxury paid for by the kindness of others.

I have never been used to luxury. My background is farming folk from County Tyrone . The idea of expensive hotels and champagne would be science fiction to my grandparents. A friend's flight was once upgraded to first class. He told me that it is better never to fly in the gilded aviary of first class than have to return to the cramped cages of coach. I have never flown anything other than economy and regard business class and first class prices with amazement.

When I think of self abnegation I think of Saint Simeon Stylites. I was introduced to him in the Bunuel film Simon of the Desert. According to Wikipedia he was a Christian saint who lived between 388 and 459 AD near Aleppo in Syria . The son of a shepherd he developed a Christian zeal and entered a monastery before the age of 16. He spent the last 37 years of his life living on top of a pillar. He escaped the blandishments of the world from the vantage of a fifty foot high pedestal .

Simeon was famous in his time.He did not completely withdraw from the world and drew pilgrims to his vantage point. Visitors were able to ascend the pillar to speak to him. He wrote letters and instructed disciples. He demanded austerity from himself but his teachings were compassionate.Bunuel the atheist treated him with fondness even though he found him ridiculous.

There is a median between the love of the worldly and contemplation of what lies beyond. It's fitting that the only contemporary figure who has perched on top of a pillar has been the magician David Blaine.