how do you distinguish between living and nonliving?

I am first going to use the example in the article from class. In the case of the bicycle, the pattern of organization is represented by the design sketches that are used to build the bicycle, in the mind of the designer. In the case of a living system, however, the pattern of organization is always embodied in the organisms structure, the link between pattern and structure lies in the process of continual embodiment.I interpret this as inanimate and animate objects but , as we all know there are mant things that the human eye can't see that are very alive and animate but if I can't see it then would I deem it animate? I guess we can see that in living verses non living things are always changing, developing, evolving. I love being part of the living!!!