This world is a cold place

This world is a cold place
Bitter and harsh and unsparing
Cold winds blow all the time
But it can be made warm

A hug, a smile
Some kind words, softly spoken
A warm blanket on a cold night
A stomach full of hot meal
A present, unasked for

It is okay, once in a while
To stop and listen
To the ones yearning to be heard
To share silence with someone
Once in a while, it is okay
To make yourself truly vulnerable
To open up to a stranger
To lend a helping hand, a shoulder
To provide shelter if and when you can
Share the glow of your lamp
The warmth of your fire and heart
To wrap fingers around wrinkled skin
To make the old feel loved
To see crinkled eyes light up
In a beautiful smile
It is okay to be kind

Yes it is ridden with risks
The tough practiced face you daily put on
May turn into a crimson pulp
More often break into smiles and tears
There would be inopportune laughs
Gaping teeth, through pursed lips
Yes maybe that’s not very advisable
Your cold heart may turn into a mush
And before you know,
You maybe left
Less of what you need to be
And more of what you already are

And remember? this world is a cold place
Bitter and harsh and unsparing
Where cold winds blow all the time
But then, you would have made it warm.