Parasitic Chain

Parasites aren't always bad.  All life is part of a parasitic chain that extends from the quantum to the cosmic.  Because of their gravitational demands on larger bodies, galaxies are the parasites of the universe, stars are the parasites of galaxies, and planets are the parasites of stars.  On a smaller scale, organisms like us can be seen as parasites of planets, and in more ways than one, for not only do we use and recycle its resources, but we pollute it with our refuse as well.  More familiarly, smaller organisms can be parasites of larger ones.  There are even parasites within parasites, such as viruses and bacteria.  Cells themselves are parasites that thrive on all organisms, at least on our planet. 

As the idea of life seems that it could be infinitely small- smaller than cells if we consider their building blocks- then it should logically follow that plants and animals are not the largest forms of it.  Astronomical objects like planets and stars may not seem like forms of life to us, but they may be radically different forms of it.