Every life-form is constantly challenged with obsolescence. Now this is a curious phenomenon. Just as G-d is a creator, so is man. Each and every one of us is an artist. We need to build.
Man is a boat floating on an ocean.
Man is a wave atop the ocean of existence. Judaism conceives of man as the latter of these three. Man springs up from the body of G-d. Indeed, Einstein's theory of relativity demonstrated this to be true. We arise from nothingness, and return to nothingness.