I often get a good little laugh when people tell me that aliens don't exist in a mocking way. (I've never said they do, only that I think it's highly possible)

An intelligent being in the universe mocking me for thinking that intelligent life could exist somewhere else in the universe. It's quite fascinating. We are literally evidence that it already exists and is possible. The argument really is whether it exists again, and to think it might seems totally reasonable.

That's a long winded way of saying that your approach is probably the most logical one. 

 I wouldn’t bet against trillions or more earth-like planets. 

The distance between us is what gives me doubt we’ll ever see any intelligent life. 

 Yeah, we very well may not see it. 

 We are facing the final Great Filter right now.  Can we build a civilization that deserves access to the stars, or will we destroy ourselves out of greed and ignorance?