It has been a different kind of summer for me. One full of transition and change. One full of new responsibilities and yet still drenched in a familiar nostalgia. One that has visited in waves of either utter chaos or total relaxation. One that, at times, has dragged on and, at other times, has sped past. One without a continuous tone or pace but rather fits and starts.

One constant for me this summer has been my little film camera. I still carry with me, each day, my little point and shoot and capture moments around me. This is the same camera I have used all these years in our Quarterlies. I capture whatever I see and feel moved by. I take a quick snapshot and move on not thinking about it too much. When I got my film back this week I found these precious images.

Up top: A photograph of a place that reminds me of home …

A photograph of rolling lake water that I was in every weekend as a child …

A photograph of a place I will not go again but was raised up in and will always remember …

A photograph of a foggy, misty day that had a familiar comforting warmth …

A photograph of an old place that flooded me with so many memories when I walked in that I just had to cry …

A photograph of light that I noticed when I was very young, light that now guides me most days …

I am so thankful that I have these photographs. I would be lost without them. This summer came without a map and I think I made one with these images (and the many rolls I have yet to share). I am glad I have had my camera with me. It has been a trusted friend all these summer weeks.

—MAV