Important vs. Useless

"I think fathers feel important and useless at different points in their life." I've thought a lot about this statement. When a father faces layoffs or unemployment, what are the thoughts that swirl in their heads, the thoughts that leave them full off of silence at the dinner table. Or sullen faced behind the chaotic words of the newspaper. I wonder what cornered my own father into feeling useless. What made him throw his voice on every birthday and Christmas? Was Santa Clause my parents’ credit card?