Dang, why you gotta get all "fill-low-sof-fi-cal" on a sistah right before the holidays.
Let's see.................Life........................I define as any organism that breathes in oxygen and breathes out carbon dioxide (least that's what my health/science teacher taught us). Keeping with "my" definition, life exists because of many bodily functions working together subconsciously to carry out their assigned tasks. Deeper than the heart just beating and blood flowing, and air flowing through the lungs - but even neurons that are at work in the brain and many minute molecules that exist that we are never even conscious of. I suppose death comes into play when one of these major components malfunctions and throws the path of synchronization off the chemical path.
Yes, of course I'm just babbling, and let me be the first to admit it - I haven't a clue. I'm just glad I'm alive, even though I don't claim death as one of my fears.