It’s been 18 years since he left the earth. I especially felt nostalgic this past week, scanning old photos of him into the computer, reminiscing on moments spent with him in my youth. I especially cherish this one photo I have of him where we are both smiling, actually laughing as I am about to blow out the candles of a birthday cake. It’s the only picture I know of where we are both smiling at the same time. There are plenty of pictures where I am either indifferent “I’m too cool for this and why can’t I be with my cool friends right now instead of my loser family?” or angry ”Why do we have to take this dumb picture, Dad?”  But my Dad somehow manages an attempt at a smile in each of them. Now that I have kids of my own, I sometimes wonder what the picture would look like if he were still here. My guess is his smile would be endowed with a few more wrinkles, weathered and tempered by the passing years. The boys would probably be fixing a quizzical gaze on my wife, as she tries to coax anything resembling a cheerful countenance. But there is one thing I know for sure: I’d be smiling too.