Where the Hell is Barbequia? An Introduction
Barbequia will be hard to find on a map since it is not just a place, but an attitude and a lifestyle, as well. There are many words or terms that are out there that can be used to describe Barbequia, including Nirvana, Heaven on earth, Shangri-La or Paradise. The problem is that these words are of such an esoteric nature that they tend to defy practicality in our crazy world and they seem to be that proverbial dragon we chase without actually grasping it; what we are after lacks the form that our minds can grasp. In spite of the esoteric nature of these terms, most everyone would love to experience any one of them, so we refer to these terms to give you the general idea of what Barbequia is about.
I want to clarify up front that Barbequia is not touted as the true way, the only way or even as the best way for you. It is not the “definitive work” on the subject as there is no such thing. It is merely a guide to something that is proven to work for many and we (there are and have been and will continue to be many collaborators to this dynamic work) are putting it in print for our own reference and to share it with anyone who is interested. Glean what feels right with an open mind and leave the rest as a possibility in the future – or not. This is an ongoing work and, while the attempt is to define in linear terms what Barbequia is, will not really be possible as Barbequia is different to everyone and exists on so many levels of the human experience.
Several years ago I reached a point where I realized that happiness was derived from who we are and what we do – our attitude and lifestyle – not what we had. One of the simple pleasures I enjoy is the back yard and patio. I spend as much time as possible out there decorating, trimming, pruning, planting, resting in the swing, eating breakfast or dinner that we prepare on the barbeque grill, and doing a lot of talking and sharing with those closest to me. It all started when I rented a very small house from a good friend in Portland Oregon. It’s an older home with a fenced yard in a working class neighborhood of Southeast Portland. After several weeks of minor modifications, decorating and some TLC, we created what we called our “Little Cottage”. We spent many hours in the yard wading in our little above ground swimming pool to beat the heat of summer, drinking a beer or two on the patio while we talked, and cooking up a storm on the barbeque. To us, this was Heaven on Earth and some of our most memorable moments have been spent in these surroundings.
We had already named our little home Simon so it seemed appropriate to name our back yard as well. After all, it was where we went to get away from the stress of work and a crazy world. There were a few simple rules: No fighting or contention (although friendly debate is encouraged); no negativity and criticism. This would become a safe haven for the expression of feelings, thoughts and emotions; a very open and inviting, safe environment – a refuge from daily “reality”. After a bit of thought about the name, we came up with Barbequia, a union of the quintessential summer barbeque and Utopia, which soon after became “The Independent Nation of Barbequia”.
Since that time in Portland, the concept of Barbequia has expanded incredibly and it has come to represent the qualities of Nirvana, Heaven on earth, Shangri-La and Paradise in a practical way. Barbequia now encompasses all aspects of life: the physical shelter we call home, our recreation and the places we go to recreate, spiritual life, financial life, our interaction with others, our profession; in short, all that we do becomes based in Barbequia and therefore a part of it.
The purpose of this book is to share in some depth the concept of what is now called Barbequia and how to apply it in a practical, simple way. It is important to be open to the concepts and realize that the specifics (places, events, scenarios, stories, and people) are for illustrative purposes only. The specifics of what I am sharing are my Barbequia, and your Barbequia (or whatever you decide to call it) will be different in form and practicality. However, the concepts are Universal Principles that I cannot take credit for – only share – as they have come to me from far higher places than my own mind.