"'To create' is not beyond the capacity of any normal human being. If creativity is somehow a special ability, it is special for us all" (Lindemann 87).

When I was a teenager I overheard my family's realtor, who played the electric piano at our church, tell our former pastor that everyone should complete one creative task each year, even if that task is remodeling a bathroom.

And his point, I think, was that people should spend time creating and being creative.

Yes, he did say that people should complete their creative tasks, but what is created was less important than the creator and the talent of the creator was less important than the act of creating.

Not everyone is a master. There is only one Mark Twain, one Frank Lloyd Wright, and one Alfred Hitchcock. Not every creation is a masterpiece. There is only one Moby Dick, one Pantheon, and one Citizen Kane.

But, going by Lindemann's quote, there are millions, no billions of creative people walking around, afraid to express themselves creatively because they think that's not who they are.

Many English majors love to brag about their limited math skills. Go to dinner with a group of English majors and watch them try to split the check or figure out the tip. It's quite fun. A friend of mine here at DH wears a T-shirt that reads: "I'm an English major; you do the math."

But we know there are some things that a responsible adult just needs to know. Not everyone needs to master (or even faintly grasp) calculus, but it would behoove most people to know just enough arithmetic and quantatative reasoning to maintain a positive checking account balance.

And so, not everyone needs to be a great artist or create great art. But understanding the arts and getting a glimpse into how artistic work is created can lead to a more rewarding college experience and a richer life.

What's the moral of this story? If you have a talent, use it. Do something with it. If you're not sure about what you can do, try something you've always wanted to do.

Remember writing and drawing? People still do those. Want to make a short film? You could probably use your phone. Make a meal from scratch.

You're creative, so be creative.