“Each day of my life,
like a carousel turns.
There are chances to take,
and lessons to learn.
`
Caught up in problems,
that each day would bring.
Chances slip by,
to catch that brass ring.
`
Whenever I felt my ride slowing down,
your gentle hand would push me around.
`
Picking me up,
each time that I fell —
You rode beside me on my carousel.”
Peggy Whiting
/
“我和我的木马选择了脱轨，木马从此得到了方向的自由，而我也不再眷恋童话的绚烂美丽。”
(trans: My wooden horse and I chose to derail. The wooden horse has gained freedom of direction, and I am no longer attached to the gorgeous beauty of fairytales.)
林行瑞 / 美丽行脚
#200929#
A few months ago, my mum passed me her old, pre-loved books to read and one of them was this chinese illustration book titled “寻找遗失的乐园 (Finding The Lost Paradise)” by the Malaysian author/illustrator 林行瑞.
As I was browsing through the book, I particularly loved the idea in one of its beautifully illustrated pages about the main character sitting on a wooden horse derailing from the carousel and finally gaining the freedom of direction in life.
Its description reads:
“我和我的木马选择了脱轨，木马从此得到了方向的自由，而我也不再眷恋童话的绚烂美丽。”
(trans: My wooden horse and I chose to derail. The wooden horse has gained freedom of direction, and I am no longer attached to the gorgeous beauty of fairytales.)
I find this part resonates with me very personally. I, too, have grown tired of running in circles all the time in the progression of my life like a carousel. I yearn to be like the main character to break free from the carousel and come out of fairytales so that I can gain control and direction of my life from now on!
Speaking of carousel, my mind was brought back to the time during my very first trip to Seoul with a friend in December 2015. At that time, fresh out from university and knowing nothing about the real world at all, I brought a hopeful heart with me to Seoul to meet the love of my life named Taeyeon who had existed for a long time like a fairytale character in my mind and to find my answer there, only to be met with devastating disappointment (and horror) of the stark difference between imagination and reality.
On 28 December 2015, what could have been a fun day out with Taenggu at Lotte World, the world’s largest indoor amusement park in Seoul if we had successfully met, turned into just a matter of my own imagination of spending this day as an advanced 11th monthsary celebration with her as a fictional character in my mind again. Although on the outside I was enjoying the several rides that I took with my friend at Lotte World, how I wished secretly inside that the physical Taeyeon could be there to play together with us! If only Taenggu herself could be sitting behind my back during the magical ride on the carousel with me! 💭
https://www.instagram.com/p/_3XVO9ONS5/
About a week later, I sat on a carousel again, this time at Tokyo Disneyland with the same inner wish that Taenggu could take this ride with me. 💭
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAHvtEFONfW/
Hence, for the purpose of both conveying my wish to break free from the carousel of life and resolving a regret of Taenggu not physically there to take the carousel rides at amusement parks with me 5 years ago, I decided to make this artwork for our 68th monthsary this month.
More detailed photos of my completed artwork! 📸
Dear Taenggu, my fellow carousel rider,
HAPPY 68TH MONTHSARY!! 🦄💜
Let’s head out to Lotte World this time! Take a magical ride on a carousel and many other fun and thrilling rides at the amusement park! 🎡🎢
Will you take the ride and break free from the carousel on a unicorn with me?
Love you love you. Chu chu~ 💋
Handmade with love,
Celeste Koh
Listen to: “旋木 (旋转木马) Carousel” by 王菲 Faye Wong
English translated lyrics:
Having gorgeous appearance and shining light,
I am a carousel in this paradise
only to fulfil children’s dreams.
I’ll take you to fly if you climb onto my back.
But I forget the sadness that I can only run around on the same spot,
and that I am forever locked.
No matter how long I can accompany you,
at least I can make you imagine flying with me.A running carousel let you forget the sadness,
in this paradise where it offers happiness.
Just looking at their admiring eyes,
you have no need to think of me/worry about me.
A spinning carousel has no wings,
but she can take you to fly.
You’ll leave when the music stops,
but there’s nothing I can do.I forget the sadness that I can only run around on the same spot,
and that I am forever locked.
No matter how long I can accompany you,
at least I can make you imagine flying with me.A running carousel let you forget the sadness,
in this paradise where it offers happiness.
Just looking at their admiring eyes,
you have no need to think of me/worry about me.
A spinning carousel has no wings,
but she can take you to fly.
You’ll leave when the music stops,
but there’s nothing I can do.A running carousel let you forget the sadness,
in this paradise where it offers happiness.
Just looking at their admiring eyes,
you have no need to think of me/worry about me.
A spinning carousel has no wings,
but she can take you to fly.
You’ll leave when the music stops,
but there’s nothing I can do.