This is somewhat reductionist, as what you are suggesting seems to be that consciousness is most aware when it is reflecting on events, rather than simply experiencing them. The reality is that we exist in a fairly information dense environment and quite a lot of what we are conscious of, is necessarily edited out. Otherwise our memories would be overwhelmed.

I would argue that life, particularly fauna, are necessarily conscious, but what separates humanity is this issue of memory.

As mobile organisms, we have a sequential process of perception, often accompanied by a inclination to judge, as a function of navigation. Then as humans, we have a narrative based culture, as a consequence of communicating our journeys and the lessons learned. So we think of time as the point of the present moving past to future. The physical reality is that change turns future to past. Tomorrow becomes yesterday, because the earth turns.

There is no literal dimension of time, because the past is consumed by the present, to inform and drive it. Causality and conservation of energy. Cause becomes effect.

Energy is "conserved," because it is the physical present. Its changing configuration creates the effect of time, as well as temperature, pressure, color, sound. Think frequencies and amplitudes.

So we have this dichotomy of energy and the forms it expresses. Energy is what drives the wave. Frequency and amplitude is information expressed by its undulations. Galaxies are energy radiating out, as form coalesces in.

As these mobile organisms, we have the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems processing the energy driving us on, while the central nervous system sorts through and further organizes the forms/information precipitating out. Signal from the noise.

So energy, as process, goes past to future, while the patterns generated go future to past.

As consciousness goes past to future, while the thoughts and feelings expressed go future to past.

So it would seem this property of consciousness functions somewhat like energy, that "spark within," than the myriad ways it is expressed.

Yes, people do think alot, but it that simply an evolved talent? Consider that a fly has much faster response times than people. Does that mean it is not conscious, or simply that that element of awareness doesn't have to pass through quite so many lenses, filters and mirrors, in order to respond to stimulae?

Don't get too wrapped up in thought, if you want to experience consciousness.