Young came to San Angelo for the annual "National Prayer Breakfast" event. I have actually wanted to go for several years now. Great event. Great speakers. Huge community involvement. One problem though- it STARTS at 6 am. That means, as someone who hopes to speak to people as they arrive, I would need to arrive there BEFORE 6:00. In the morning. Yuck.
So, I woke up at 4:45, and, as they say, "put on my big girl panties" and went.
I really wasn't sure how this story was going to go... I was supposed to interview Mr. Young (Paul, as he said to call him) the day before. I was so excited about that one- I had read on his bio that he enjoyed chai tea lattes, so I emailed his publicist and offered to buy him one in exchange for an interview at Starbucks the day before. He accepted my offer!
Unfortunately, though, Texas had the coldest weather it had seen in years that day. Not only was school canceled, but all flights in and out of Dallas were canceled as well. Since all flights to San Angelo originate in Dallas, there was no flight for him. Luckily, one of San Angelo's well-to-do families chartered a jet for him, so he was able to arrive here at midnight (Not lucky for him, I'm sure- I'm thinking he maybe got 5 hours of sleep?)
Young was so gracious though, and even though I didn't bring a chai tea latte with me to the breakfast, he offered to do an interview with me after it was over.
As sometimes happens in the newspaper world, it turned out that there wasn't space that day for the separate interview story I had prepared. But, thanks to this blog :) I have someplace to put the questions/answers for anyone who cares to read them.
I realized as I looked over his answers later that he didn't exactly answer everything I asked him. I definitely sensed that he had boundaries to his comfort zone. Even though his book is very personal, he didn't get too personal in the interview. Some of what he told me, I remembered reading in other places online.
Either way, he was a very nice man; very pleasant. (And spoke slowly enough for me to write down his answers :) )
Here is my interview with him:
Me: "The Shack was a book that you originally wrote as a story for your children, which has now sold millions of copies worldwide. Is it a little unnerving to know that your story is "out there" for everyone to read, and then to speak about it to large groups like this one?
WPY: No, it's not unnerving. At this point in my life, I have no expectations. Every day is a gift.
Me: Were there any changes made to the original story you wrote?
WPY: The editor knocked out about 40% of the dialogue. Chapter 15 is the only chapter not edited at all. It is exactly the way I wrote it.
Me: Being that it was a story written for your four children, what did they think of it?
WPY: Every kid was affected differently. But every one was in a powerfully, strong way.
They were identify themselves in the story. My daughter, who buries stuff inside, said, "Dad, I'm Kate, aren't I?" She has since learned not to do that.
Me: Have any charities benefited from sales of "The Shack?"
WPY: Yes. We've created a foundation to help several different charities. We've helped an orphanage in Honduras, a house set up for young men trying to finish high school, a school in Uganda, and some others.
Me: Something in your childhood was the basis for the plot in the story. What made you wait so long to write about it, why did you wait until your kids were so old? (Speaking at the breakfast, he said his wife asked him to "put his thoughts all in one place.")
WPY: Missy represents something that was murdered in me as a child. I had a difficult relationship with my father. When my wife asked me to write down my thoughts for the kids, it all came out in the story.
Me: Did you ever consider following in your parents' footsteps? (They were both missionaries; his father was a preacher.)
WPY: I like the idea of cross-cultural communication. I don't like the relationship side of things. I've never found my comfort zone. . The book has done what I wanted it to do- cross cultural communication all over the world.
Me: What personal changes have you gone through since this book became so big?
WPY: None that matter. All changes that matter took place before the book. The charities the foundation helps are one thing that I can do that I could not have done before.
Me: You could have sold hundreds of books here today. Why did you not want to sell them here?
WPY: It's never been about the sale of the books. This is not anything that I asked for. I don't want to become a money changer. There's enough association between religion and the community.
Me: Of all the visits and places you have been, what is the one thought you want people to take away?
WPY: I've never had one thought; I don't know who's there. I want them to know the distinction between the relationship (Father/Son/Holy Spirit) and religion. You as a human being matter. The choices you make are important to the entire universe- You don't have a clue how big that is.
http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/feb/03/wings-come-through-for-san-angelo-prayer/
