I don’t develop my film

For those old school folks that do not have a digital camera, you know all about film. For those of you that have no idea what film is, you are from Mars. I don’t care if you haven’t used a 35mm camera in years -hell if you have ever used one. Almost everyone that has bought a disposable camera or shot a roll of film at some point in their life forgot to get it developed.

Not long ago when I was cleaning my room –a regular pastime– I found a box with xis [6] rolls of film. Three had not been developed yet…hmm hidden treasures! It was like opening a box you put away long ago to find some old newspaper clippings, clothes, papers from school, letter from a friend…letter from a lover; it brought a smile and some hope. Hope?

Hope. When you open a letter you thought you misplaced, you find an old photo album…you find that journal you thought you lost…a piece of you holds hope in the memories you are about to relive will be remembered just as yesterday.

I took my lost rolls of film to get developed, along with three other rolls I needed to get developed. I was happy to find that not only on the lost rolls, but the original three rolls I had lost moments I had completely forgotten about. A formal here; a day with friends there. Pictures from my trip to New York, skydiving and backpacking…many moments I never even knew I captured.

The next time you clean out your room, attic, garage, car…an old shoebox. Look for something that might have been lost, but now is found. You never know what memories and moments it might reveal.

“[Memory is] a man’s real possession…In nothing else is he rich, in nothing else is he poor.”
– Alexander Smith