“I compare the process to becoming a vampire, your old self dies in a sad and painful way, but then you come out the other side with immortality, super strength and a taste for human blood.”
Jonathan Coulton, quoted in a blog post on Coding Horror

This is the coolest quotes on parenthood I’ve heard.  It’s hard to imagine what it’s like becoming a vampire, just as I’m sure it’s hard to imagine what it’s like to become a parent (not that Hollywood hasn’t tried to make either into a movie).  I guess it’s one of those experiences that is just so hard to describe until you’ve experienced it, like falling in love or having a close brush with death (again both topics romanticized by Hollywood).  Like turning into a vampire, parenthood probably isn’t one of those things that you should take lightly.  Even though it’s hard for us non-parent youngsters to understand, it’s nice to know that there still exist some things in life we can look forward to (and deeply dread).