In Italy, on the Ponte Vecchio, there is a statue filled with locks. Couples leave them in declaration of their commitment and love. Across the world, romantics have made padlocks a symbol of one's love, attaching them to gates and landmarks. Street vendors now sell them enticing lovers to declare their love by leaving a lock behind.

So many locks have been left that they have damaged structures due to the weight and mass of them. Authorities in cities are now building fences specifically for this purpose. They realize that this lovely tradition cannot be stopped.

I found these "love locks" at an estate sale in Queens in the home of an elderly couple and immediately thought of their symbol, and the various beautiful keys that opened them.