What is life...?

What is this thing that we call life? Of what does it consist? Where does the meaning lie? Is it simply being born, growing, functioning as one should in "life" i.e. school, marriage, children, death-is that all it is? I know within the depths of my soul this cannot be and it is not truth, but my unfortunate perspective of daily life instills this as the cycle and pattern that must ensue-but whether it contains meaning is another matter. Cycles and patterns can be completely empty, mundane and meaningless, unless proactively altered and changed. I think somewhere in my head I have conceived this notion that this "life" will be bearable if only somewhere else and consisting of something else, but truly that is a pervasive discontent that will never be satisfied. Life is life no matter where it occurs-it is what one does in that life that holds lasting importance or meaning. This horrible view of life perhaps seems inconsistent with a Christian paradigm, and it may be, but nevertheless, it plagues me at present. I know there is meaning deeper than the mundane, daily life-which is why, I know my soul, is forever discontent. We are not meant for this world-it is only a shadow, a foreground to the real world which awaits us. However, that does not mean we are meant to loath wholly our existence-no! There is deeper meaning to this thing called "life" and I choose that hope over these pessimistic tendencies regarding my existence...