If you want to access attributes bound to geometry but you are using a file SOP to load the geometry in, then you will have to add a “signature” to the data so that SOPs can directly access the attributes.

Right after the File SOP, isert an attribute create SOP and put the name of the actual attribute as found in the geo info (MMB-hold on tile icon) in the “Name” field, set Type to be Vector then use $LIFE1 $LIFE2 0 in the last three fields.

I bet this is why you can't directly access $LIFE.