Life is energy/matter that tries to find ways to recognize itself, with energy and matter being just two different physical states of one and the same thing. Energy temporarily condenses to matter, allowing form and movement, both of which define us, other life forms, dead forms, anything. Its only borrowed, it needs to be given back sooner or later. Through our eyes, the senses of evertyhign living, the universe looks at itself and percieves itself, in the whatever unique ways of the material form chosen.

Its as if somethign does all this because of like an eye needs to look into a mirror to see itself. The reflected image is not real, however, but tells something about something that is not the image.

When I have a good day, I tend to think that whats it all about is is that the universe tries to become aware of itself. On a less good day, I think in terms of Big Rip, and maximum entropy and heat-death of the universe.

Big Rip is not going to happen. If the belief that the Universe is accelerating it's expansion it is most likely because more matter is being absorbed into the Universe. The origins of this new matter is most likely from the starting point of The Big Bang, or what I like to believe, the entrance to the black hole we are living in. :doh:

Yes, life is a challenge, I try to balance living for the moment with being ready for unexpected changes. It's crazy but if you get really sick or if someone you care about dies suddenly, it certainly puts a change on things and tilts the scale more toward living it while you can.