I was looking for something at the very back of a “stuff” drawer in my house (you know what a “stuff” drawer is… it’s a catch all drawer where random stuff lives until someday you throw all the random stuff away and get new random stuff).  As I was pushing through the contents, I noticed a couple of rolls of 35mm film.  My wife and I received a digital camera for Christmas from my in-laws in 2003, so I know that these film rolls have to be at least 11 years old.  I have no idea what pictures are on these rolls.  It made me stop to think… at one point, either myself or my wife were highly invested in whatever is on that film.  We cared enough to buy the film, load it in a camera, and take pictures—24 or 36 frames of important moments.  Then, for whatever reason, we didn’t develop the film.  It managed to navigate its way to the back of a drawer for forgotten and low priority items, one step away from the next garbage pickup.

It made me think about the undeveloped opportunities in my life.  I’m only thirty-three, but in my life I have pursued many opportunities and challenges.  Some of them panned out, others did not.  What’s concerning, though, is that I have to admit that there were some opportunities that were promising, but for some reason I left them undeveloped.  Perhaps for lack of time, energy, or determination, I let potential leave my grasp and gravitate to the “stuff drawers” of my life.  It would be interesting to take a few moments and inventory some of those opportunities.  It’s just possible that some of the greatest potential I have is undeveloped.  As a matter of fact, I think that’s probably likely.

How about you?  Think about the different life endeavors you were once highly invested in that you haven’t even thought about for a long time.  What have you started that you haven’t finished?  Relationships, talents, hobbies, skills?  Maybe it’s time to pick up the instrument you haven’t played since high school, call a friend you haven’t talked to for years, start flying model planes again, or pick up a new computer programming textbook.  Why not get a little excited about revisiting something you used to care deeply about?  You might be amazed at what you have to offer your family, your friends, your job, or your church.  Face it, you have huge untapped potential.  Why not develop the film?