Joseph

In the Bible, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is Joseph.  He has a very important job to be of help to Mary and Jesus, but then Joseph disappears from the narrative, never to be heard from again.  Did you ever have a "Joseph" in your life?  It would be someone who was crucial to you at some point and then you never saw or heard about or from them again.  I had such a person in my life  when I was a bachelor in San Francisco many years ago.  A friend of mine had just gotten married and it was the evening after the wedding.  I was alone and feeling quite bereft.  My friend's life was working out just fine as he went off on his honeymoon with his bride.  My life was going nowhere.  I was in a pity pot of self-absorption and depression.  I cannot go on living like this.  There seems no way out of my messy life.  For some reason, I called a fellow with whom I used to work in my old job.  He was at home and invited me over when I said I wanted to talk.  It was a grace that got me to pick up the phone, call, and he to be there free for the evening.  I went to his apartment and talked for hours.  I  remember him listening, not judging or trying to solve anything.  Eventually, I got exhausted with my self-absorption, and fell asleep on his couch.  The next morning I felt better.  Crisis passed.  I never saw him again.  He was my "Joseph." I am still alive...and telling stories of evil witches, doing blogs and trying to stay out of mischief.