Red lights and chemicals

I miss the darkroom. When I was attending our local community college, I took some basic courses, and photography 101, just for fun. I ended up practically ditching all of my other classes and became OBSESSED with my photo class. I loved working in the dark room, cropping my negatives, hearing the beep when the exposure on the paper was done, and immersing the newly exposed paper into the trays of chemicals to develop my pictures. Most of my peers opted for the automatic developer.....in the machine their paper would go, and 5 mins later it would come out the other side. Not me. I wanted to know that I developed it. Yes, I might have gotten a few of the chemicals on my hands, but I didn't mind. I kind of liked the smell. I liked the way everything looked with the red light that was so dim. Near the end of the semester all the serious folks (hardly anyone.....so sad) would be in the dark room. Developing picture after picture. If I could have lived in there, I would've. The darkroom and the studio was where I felt most comfortable. It was my home. I want to go back and be in there again, right now. I want to watch the paper come to life with my work. I want to burn the images (not with fire, with LIGHT). I want to create. One day, I will go back and create with my hands again, but for now, I will settle with capturing life and storing it for another day, when it will be reborn. I miss the darkroom.