What is life?

The other day I was asked by a colleague, a retire lawyer, who has decided to take on a task of teaching the US goverment to high school students. "What is life?" he asked. Immediately I thought of John Lennon's song to his son, Sean, "Beautiful Boy." In it, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." But, after another full day as a science faculty member, or better yet, I am a "Professional Teacher," I did ponder the meaning in scientific manner. I thought, "What would happen to me when I die?" Will my mind or my thinking die with it? Doesn't my physical being exist along with my thoughts, or my perception of the intuition!!! To be continued!!!