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Think about it this way: even if there are no gods and no aliens, the universe itself is an infinitely recursive system of life. The cycle of life, as we know it on Earth, is a subset of a much larger system--but like any fractal pattern, also a template of the larger whole.
From single-celled organisms swimming in puddles to human migrations out of Africa, the whole of life on earth functions as a single unit--the actions of every living thing affect the planet, just as the mechanics of every cell in your body affect you.
To demonstrate how interconnected, and how similar, the systems of our bodies, the cycle of life on Earth, and the universe itself are, consider how the most minor of nodes in each system can affect the whole. One damaged cell won't kill you--unless it becomes cancer. One mutated microbe won't change anything--unless it becomes a plague. One stray asteroid doesn't make a difference, unless it deposits essential organic compounds on the right planet.
Our planet itself is a lifeform just as we are. As life has evolved on it, the planet has changed dramatically--the planet itself is going through a life cycle. Our oxygen-rich atmosphere is sustained by plantlife and the atmosphere in turn keeps the planet warm and life-sustaining.
As for the celestial cycle of life, we are aware of some facts: stars have a life cycle, and one day the sun will burn out and likely explode; galaxies spin on the axis of a massive black hole which will one day consume them; galactic clusters are held together in a lattice formation that extends far beyond our capacity to observe and the universe itself is expanding--just as any vital organism does.
The universe moves, grows, recycles waste, and may even one day die.
There is a higher intelligence, we are part of it.