Reflections for the Soul

The best version of ourselves should be for the one capable of bringing calm to our high waves.

Last night I forgot to close my dreams and this morning, upon waking, I found a carnation in them.

We should not wait to have money to help someone; we also help with a smile and listening, or with a sincere greeting.

We must not be troubled by anything; let us learn that we must be happy for ourselves. The state of comfort is built by you.

In my solitude I have removed thorns to show my roses; that is why, when I hear someone complain about something, I say to myself: “They still do not have a rosebush.”

The purity of life: our elders and children, autumn and spring; the planet must continue.

Let us not lose wonderful and tender moments because of hateful pride that closes the doors to coral instants

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Oh subtle aroma that releases the fragrance of nard in my soul! You are the one who tells me that the beloved has visited me.

Simple little life… that places us at the feet of the master and teaches us the steps to reach heaven.

I prefer to love with the soul rather than with the eyes, for with time I may have cataracts that cloud your image.

Kissing the soul is forgetting the past evil under the shadow of a good present and then toasting to a promising future.

When you dream of someone you are waiting for, do not change course; at some point you will meet.

The rain falls on the rooftops, the moon will not rise, but on the wings of angels God will take care of us.

By the riverbank I will fall asleep, waiting for the crystal of the water to reflect the new day, and then continue.

Remember that no one is sovereign to judge you; whoever does so is a prisoner of the shadows of their own life. You will keep the best.

To cradle a delicate caress in the soul and ask God for a balm to heal a wound. What a privilege to be the Good Samaritan!

Let us be empty hands, so that the good Lord may place in them what is good for us.

In true love nothing is asked for, everything flows. When in love you must ask, it is better not to love anymore; do not desire what they no longer give you.

Today, looking at magnolia flowers, I glimpsed purity, reality, faith, and a new tomorrow. And then I said to myself: “I will wait.”

Please, tonight leave the moon on for me so I can visualize my dreams and descend to my ponds and bring back the lilies.

Even God sneezes to remind us that we must ask for health.

Many times, in the falling leaves of your trees, you see something sparkle and, when you lift them, you find happiness.

Live your present, bury your past, build your future. With flowers or without flowers, the garden is within you.

How much suffering you have endured! Among purple lilies your step goes; along the thirsty path I have found you, my sweet Nazarene.

Fall of the evening of dreams to come, infinite twilight of orange blossoms and heliotropes that invite us to continue.

Heart of dreams, flowering cherry tree, crystalline waterfall that washes the soul, gilded evening kissing the mountain.

When I have returned from my deserts, I have seen small white flowers growing in my pastures, aromatic and beautiful.

Oh luminous path, shining with the constellation of the soul! Let the miracles asked in the night prayer be fulfilled.

Of course you can see my world, but do not criticize it. Did you not read upon entering? I only care about your opinion if I ask for it.

I would like to be the silk of the petal, the dew of the flowers, the strength of the leaves, the earth where one sows, always trusting in you.

Under a nest I fell asleep and, hearing the birds sing, I realized that life is beautiful and continues.

As winter evenings fall, tangled among lush blooming jacarandas, I seem to hear your voice so serene and subtle.

Many seek true love in another person; it is built little by little, it does not arrive packaged in anyone.

There are magical people who look at your soul instead of your skin, people who give you nectar, not acid. If one comes to you, catch them.

The world is full of people who are shocked by actions that come to light, being the same ones they do in the shadows.

The best image of the world is your own reflection as you truly are: authentic, without pretenses, showing your essence and reality.

We carry larks in our soul and keep them imprisoned; let us place them on the lemon trees of our spirit and listen to their song.

Franklin… Which earthly being most resembles the human? “The butterfly,” I answered. It is multicolored, beautiful, and transforms. Then I fell silent.

Who are the poorest? I was asked… “Those who have believed themselves great and now do not speak to you unless born into wealth,” I answered.

Each one of us is a star, each with our own brightness. Some only glow, others shine, but in the universe of humanity we all need each other. Let us not judge: judgment without knowing only brings shadow.

The best gift is life, the best plus is love. My best advice: live and love, be happy at all costs, embroider every moment with illusion, achieve goals, and crystallize dreams.

Among forgotten lilies the constellated night remained, and looking at the cold and still inner marble, I remembered that my eyes sleep for you again and again.

If we believe that by keeping the commandments of the Bible, being vegetarian, caring for animals and nature, or practicing meditation we become better than others, and still criticize our neighbor, we have achieved nothing and have not begun the path.

You must love freely, not as a slave; you must give your feelings to those who like to open gifts; you must remain your whole life with those who wish to talk and share coffee or tea with you.

Many suffer when they leave someone, but they do not realize that it is the universe itself that allows it, because when you are an essence of great value, it does not allow you to be wasted. Later, with time, you understand it.

Human beings do not belong to anyone; we belong to ourselves and to the mission each of us must fulfill in our journey through the planet.

The thousand truths are in serene eyes, that gaze you give to another when their waves or your waves are high and both, understanding each other, take refuge in the shadow of happiness, thus calming any storm in the sea of the soul. Being happy is our first commitment.

It is necessary to listen to the voices of nature and stop saying that we are saving the Earth. She is the one who saves us and provides us with her food, giving us everything like the great mother, expecting less mistreatment from us.

Truly, the great difference between one human being and another is, ultimately, the education with which they were raised.

Because angels, without realizing it, are very close to us with their sustenance and multicolored frost, and yet we continue to look for them among the clouds, letting them pass unnoticed, being as close as our own shadow.

About the author:

 Franklin Calvo Calvo, artistically known as FranD'klin, is a Costa Rican visual artist, painter, poet, writer, educator, and cultural manager, born in San José, Costa Rica. He is recognized for blending Western painting techniques—including watercolor, acrylic, and oil—with the traditional East Asian Sumi-e ink painting method, which he studied intensively for seven years under master Kan Yu Chien. His works, inspired by nature, emphasize peace, tranquility, and humanistic connection, while his multifaceted career also spans poetry, teaching through Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Education (MEP), and contributions to literary anthologies.

 Calvo’s artistic practice focuses on the Sumi-e technique and its “four gentlemen”: the orchid (symbolizing beauty), bamboo (strength), plum blossom (the seasons), and chrysanthemum (movement). He integrates these elements with Western techniques to create monochromatic yet vibrant expressions of nature that reveal “the thousand colors of life” and invite viewers to experience inner serenity. He conceives art as an authentic extension of the self, a “refuge in the becoming of life” that fosters hope, respect, and spiritual connection amid daily chaos. His philosophy is deeply holistic, emphasizing that the artist is born and evolves through art, which must move the soul and serve humanity.

 As an MEP educator, Calvo teaches painting and Spanish, integrating creativity, poetry, and personal development to cultivate students’ innate artistic potential and awaken their inner artist. His contributions to education have been recognized by the National Association of Educators (ANDE), including an Honorable Mention in the VII National Painting Contest (1992) and First Prize in the XI National Painting Contest (1996). His works are part of private collections in Costa Rica, Central America, the United States, and Europe. In literature, Calvo is co-author of the multilingual anthology CANTO PLANETARIO: HERMANDAD EN LA TIERRA (Volume I, compiled by Nicaraguan poet Carlos Javier Jarquín, H.C EDITORES, Amazon, 2023), where his participation reflects a commitment to collective beauty, equality, and planetary unity.