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The Power of V

vday

As the Valentine's Day is coming, people are getting particularly romantic. The LCD at the back of the X1 shows a shot I captioned in the street. With the right working method, no camera is too slow for a good capture.

This shot reminds me of some great love letters in history. Like a powerful image, a well written letter can stick the message firmly in the reader's mind. The following is one of those addressed to Josephine by Napoleon -- also just in case you are racking your brain for some ideas for tomorrow:

"Dear Josephine,
I have your letter, my adorable love. It has filled my heart with joy... Since I left you I have been sad all the time. My only happiness is near you. I go over endlessly in my thought your kisses, your tears, your delicious jealousy. The charm of my wonderful Josephine kindles a living, blazing fire in my heart and senses. When shall I be able to pass every minute near you, with nothing to do but to love you and nothing to think of but the pleasure of telling you of it and giving you proof of it? I fancied that I loved you some time ago; but since then I feel that I love you a thousand times better. Ever since I have known you I adore you more every day. That proves how wrong is that saying of La Bruyere, 'Love comes all of a sudden.' Ah, let me see some of your faults; be less beautiful, less graceful, less tender, less good. But never be jealous and never shed tears. Your tears send me out of my mind -- they set my very blood on fire. Believe me that it is utterly impossible for me to have a single thought that is not yours, a single fancy that is not submissive to your will. Rest well. Restore your health. Come back to me and then at any rate before we die we ought to be able to say: 'We were happy for so many days!' Millions of kisses, even to your dog. 
Napoleon, Marmirolo"
Sounds that the writer had done something very wrong. But this doesn't make it a less heart-meltingly-good love letter.

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