A Life is a Life is a Life.

For awhile I've been battling with the concept of all life being equal.  For instance, is a human life "worth" more than a non-human life?  Is an animal life "worth" more than a plant life?

I was having a discussion with my Mom tonight about a woman who left a dog tied up in her car while she went to dinner, and when she returned to her vehicle the dog had died.

In our conversation my Mom specifically mentioned that she felt a human life was worth more than an animal life.  I'm not sure I believe that anymore.  I've spent this summer researching my vegan/vegetarian choices and naturally found myself on websites like ADAPTT and PETA.  I've always shied away from the argument that animals and humans should have equal rights (based on the principal that both lives are of equal value) even though these sites advocate that exact principal.  Yet as I voiced that belief (in a hypothetical way) I realized that it rang very true to me.

Is this how it all happens?  You have a single moment, an awakening, and the rest just follows naturally?  I feel fascinated with and intrigued by my own mental process...I'm not sure I've made this much mental and emotional change in such a short period of time!