Every Monday, as I sit down to begin my column, I am faced with the writer’s best friend, and yet often worst enemy: the blank page.
(Ok, my “page” is a Word document on a flat screen monitor, but work with me here, Mm’kay?)
This leads to (hopefully) a spark of creative thought, and a flurry of key strokes leading ultimately to an entertaining a though provoking column. That’s the idea, any way.
This makes me wonder about creative sparks. Are they innate in some of us, while absent in others? We all have that “creative friend” who can work miracles with crepe paper and pipe cleaners to entertain the kids. Or that friend who plays that one instrument so very well that it makes you think “Hey, I could do that!”
What is “talent”? As someone who plays a few instruments, has acted in a fair amount of plays, and obviously is no stranger to the radio microphone, let me address this.
Talent is ability, and a proclivity to excel at things. But I think it’s more than that. While you can be good at something, and have a talent for it, there are other talents. The kind of talent that takes over your whole life.
That kind of talent seems to me to be that interest that won’t go away. The mild obsession that seems to creep into your mind at times you should be doing other things. That begs you to “come out and play” as it were.
For me, my mild obsession is actually more of a full blown compulsion: guitar. I have been playing for 20 years now, and it’s something that’s constantly on my mind. I think about a new one I want, even though I have 5! (There are guys I know that consider my collection a “starter kit” for obsession!) I pick one of mine up, and strum a few chords, maybe replay an old song I haven’t thought of in years. I invite friends over to “jam” and feed our mutual dreams of Rock Star status.
That is my talent that won’t let go of me. What’s yours? If you don’t have something like that, try listening to that little tiny voice that keeps nagging you to try something you’ve always wanted to.
Who knows, you might just be pretty good at it.
Ben Cox is the morning show host of “Ben Cox in the Morning” on KQBZ, 96.9 FM in Brownwood Texas. He is the new in-stadium voice of the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets football team, & Ben is also an event DJ for weddings, parties and the like.
The thoughts and comments reflected in this column are those of the writer alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of Wendlee Broadcasting, or its affiliates.
