If you’ve ever asked what the meaning of life is, it could very well be to spread the seeds of sentience and consciousness throughout the Universe. Being the first life in the Universe capable of carrying this enormous burden and taking advantage of this boundless opportunity is how we need to start behaving. For all we know, propagating sentience and consciousness throughout the cosmos could very well be the meaning of why we are here, and we only get one chance. Granted, the Universe never makes just one of anything, however, there must be a first for everything.