Life is an everlasting cycle that repeats itself, just as the carousel (Merry-Go-Round) revolves over and over. The rising and falling of the carousel horses does not determine the journey and is not as important as the trip around the carousel. Carousels once had a brass ring mounted near the inside of the roof which, if grasped at the correct time, would give the riders a free extra trip around the carousel. Thus, "grabbing the brass ring" entered the language as a metaphor for successfully grasping an opportunity. Traditionally, metals have a hierarchy, with those that resist corrosion being nobler. Brass tarnishes to a green patina, whereas gold remains shiny and clean. The gold ring is a wedding ring. In contrast to the "brass ring" of financial success, the gold ring represents something noble and pure - love. Daffodils are a perennial flower that grows from an underground bulb. In the winter, it seems that the flower has died, for the nothing is visible above the ground. Yet, every spring, the flowering plant grows anew as one of the first flowers of spring - an annual reminder of the everlasting cycle of life.