Photos and art by Jenelle Kappe Hilton and Parker Hilton
The daily grind all too often commands our lives. It’s an unfortunate truth but the errands, tedium, and monotony often overshadow the tranquil moments we wish we’d had or, for that matter, been present for. Maintaining balance has collectively become our distant Shangri-La and it may be a bit of projection here but as a society we speak about “spare-time” and “downtime” as if they’re things we’ll stumble upon. Moments we’ll find by happenstance and relish in the serenity of. Unfortunately, that is seldom the case.
As the story goes Ponce De Leon inevitably found the fountain of youth. However, it was hardly the jewel encrusted geyser he was hoping for. After a lifetime of searching, the aged and weathered explorer uncharacteristically called the ship to anchor and smiled as he leapt from the side of his boat. He found his fountain as he playfully swam in the Caribbean Sea.
As individuals, we remain in a constant state of becoming. The inexorable ebb and flow of life is what ostensibly crafts us into who we are. The stress, monotony, and sense of urgency would inevitably render senseless if we didn’t have the occasional balance, peace and serenity to compliment them.
This series, entitled Serenity is a collection of moments we’ve encountered along our travels where the balance was created, not found but crafted. Often, unsensational moments in which we metaphorically stopped the boat and splashed amidst the waves. Much like Ponce De Leon we gave up the search for our fountain and cultivated our youth in these moments.
We compiled these photos as a personal reminder to ourselves that the chaos of our day to day often amplifies the power of the serenity we foster. The two infinitely exist as compliments to one another within the confines of our lives.
We hope that as you walk the hallway that follows, you’ll be reminded to occasionally stop the boat and think about splashing around. We owe ourselves an occasional visit to the fountain every so often.
Jenelle Kappe Hilton and Parker Hilton have been traveling individually and together for the better part of the last decade. Professionally they both work as photographers and those parallel professions have enriched their lives as individuals and partners to each other.
For more information you can find them at:
www.JenelleKappe.com www.ParkerHilton.comand
www.TogetherWeRoam.comMore Stories From Our Practice
Read more reflections from Jersey Shore Acupuncture about community, care, and the quiet moments that help us return to balance.