The Ouroboros
Existence is a straightforward construct. You are born into this world, thrust into life without a choice. You live for a few decades and pass into the void where you once came from. During your brief existence if you are lucky, you may be born into wealth, status or privilege. Unlucky ones get a disadvantageous hand of cards from the start; an impoverished environment, abject poverty and abysmal prospects.
Enter chance. Chance, randomnesses or hazard whatever you may call it, will govern every aspect of your life. We trick ourselves in thinking we have more control over our life than we do. However, we will also make conscious effort to wrestle control of our life. Enter decisions. Decision is conscious thought manifested into action. Decisions cannot be avoided. Not making a decision is a decision in itself.
Life is inherently purposeless. Your death will create a small ripple, but will have no considerable affect on the universe. Death is the only thing certain in life and this gives life perspective or meaning. The shortness and fragility of life enables us to cherish it and not take things for granted. Death and our diminutive stature in the universe also humbles us and keeps us grounded. As life has no meaning, we are free to give it any meaning we want to. Most people want to live a meaningful life, but the meaning is purely subjective.
An allegory of life is war. Life is a war due the constant barrage of challenges one faces. These challenges are battles, we win some battles, we lose some battles. After a battle, we crave for a break, some leisurely downtime before we embark to battle once again. If one does not fight in these constant battles, the soul looses the will to live. Without the will or purpose, the soul dies. As we have no real choice for our exsitence we might as well come to peace with our predicament. Fight these battles with a smirk rather than a frown. We always have power to augment our perspective.
The circle of life and death is an Ouroboros, the tail life and the head death, and we live on the surface, enjoying a few moments in the middle.