Ripples on the Wood

I reached out to touch the heavy base of the bedside lamp, feeling the cool brushed metal under my fingers. Nearby sat a tall ribbed glass tumbler half-filled with water. Intrigued by the amber glow filtering through it, I stepped closer and pressed a hand gently against the rim. The water trembled, casting soft, wave-like rings of light that drifted across the dark tabletop. I knelt beside the glass, watching the golden bands overlap like quiet tides along the wood grain.