A Little Bead of Light

I stepped across the threshold and out onto the front porch, where the morning sun met the painted boards. Tucked into a corner of the bristly coconut-fiber mat sat a small, clear glass marble. The early light passed clean through it, focusing a bright, tiny gleam directly onto the rough brown fibers. I walked over and rested my hand against its cool, curved surface. It rolled just an inch under my palm before settling snugly into a woven groove. Sitting beside it and watching that focused spark of light glow quietly against the coarse bristles made the whole porch feel still and welcoming.