"The Symphony is a Way of Life"

The auditorium is full of people conversing in the audience. On the stage the performers are shuffling their music and tuning their instruments as they prepare for the performance. The conductor enters, takes a bow, and all is silent. He raises his baton and the symphony begins to play. All of the instruments have different sounds, and the parts they play blend and harmonize with one another. The music would not be as exciting if every part were the same. The symphony is a symbol for life, especially in a community. Diversity and the coming together of each instrument is what gives the symphony its unique and special sound. This is also true in life and the world we live in. Individuals bring in their own input that influences others.

A symphony orchestra is composed of a variety of brass, woodwind, percussion and stringed instruments. Each of these instruments has its own unique sound but when played together they complement each other. Like a symphony and its instruments, the world is composed of many races and cultures. They are uniquely different but can have an influence on each other even if it is not intentional. If you are walking down the street, for example, and move out of the way so as not to bump into someone, they are influencing your actions when you move inside.

Individuality is an important part of the symphony. Each player has his or her own part to perform. These parts can be played on their own but do not have the same effect as when they are combined with the other parts of the orchestra. They blend into a harmonious piece of music. In other words, you can hear what each person has to contribute and how each performer works together. In life, each person has a talent that they are particularly good at. When they work together, it accentuates their talent. A surgeon can be very gifted but is more capable of saving a life if he has a team of medical personnel assisting him.

In an essay called "The Gospel of Wealth," Andrew Carnegie discussed his views on wealth, the public good, and individualism. He described individualism as "a nobler ideal that man should labor, not for himself alone, but in and for a brotherhood of his fellows, and share with them all in common." Carnegie felt that individuality was important, but should not be taken so far that it separates everyone from each other. Each person should contribute their own ideas that better help the community as a whole.

Another similarity between life and the symphony is that a performer may not always have the melody but will accompany someone who does. Or in another case, a performer will not always have a solo and the chance to be in the spotlight. In life, everybody has their moments of glory although they may go unnoticed like the accompanist. This does not mean, however, that they are any less important than anyone else. The melody does not stay with one instrument for the whole song but moves throughout the orchestra. As in life, everyone eventually has their moment to shine and their chance to be in the spotlight.

When preparing for a concert, the musicians are reminded by their conductor to stagger their breathing. They can, of course, breathe when they need to but they have to try not to breathe at the same time as the person sitting next to them. If everyone breathed at the same time, there would be a noticeable moment of silence in the song. This is yet another example that can be applied to life. People have to breathe when they need to breathe and to do what they want to do. They have to be an individual and know that someone will be there to cover for them.

The orchestra continues to play. It moves together as a group yet separately, with each person contributing their own part. Each musician is an active member of the symphony. We more together in life, contributing what we have to offer from day to day as active members in our community. The orchestra plays their last note and the song is over. There is a moment of silence that is broken by the applause of the audience.

观众席上，观众都在相互交谈着;舞台上，表演者正在为演出做好调试乐器和设备的准备。指挥上台，鞠了一个躬，顿时全场鸦雀无声。他举起指挥棒，交响乐开始演奏了。所有的乐器都有不同的声音，乐器的各个部件演奏着，声音彼此混合，却又协调。如果乐器的每一个部件都是一样的，那么音乐就有可能令人乏味。交响乐是生命的一种符号,在团体中尤其如此。每种乐器的差异性混合在一起，使得交响乐的声音具有唯一和独特性，我们的生命和我们生活的这个世界都是如此。每个个体带来各自的不同，而这些不同又影响着其他个体。

交响乐队是由许多不同的铜乐器，木管乐器，打击乐器，弦乐器组成。每种乐器都具有它们各自特有的声音，但是当它们一起演奏的时候，他们却又彼此互为补充，类似于交响乐和交响乐器。这个世界也是由许多种族和社会构成的，它们是唯一的和不同的，但是却又无意间彼此相互影响着。例如，当你正在街道上散步，为了不撞上某个人，你绕过他们，其实当你移动的时候，他们正在影响你的行为。

每个人都是交响乐中重要的一部分。每个演奏者都有各自需要演奏的部分，这些部分，他们能够单独演奏，但是当他们同其他乐手合奏时，却有着不同的效果。混合在一起，能成为音乐中和谐的部分。换句话说，你能够听见每个人做了什么贡献，也知道每个演奏者是这样一起工作的。在生命中，每个人也有他自己擅长的本领。当他们在一起工作时。更能够强化他的强项。一个外科医生可能很有天赋，但如果让他加入一个医疗小组，而且有人协助他的情况下，他会更有能力拯救他人的生命。

在一篇名为《健康圣经》的散文中, 安德鲁.卡耐基研究过他对财富、公共财富和个人主义的观点。他把个人主义描述为“人应该为了他的家人，为了他的兄弟朋友，而不是为了他自己而劳动，并与他们一起分享，这是一种高贵的理想。” 卡内基认为个性是非常重要的，但个性不应该偏离太大，或者以至于导致和他人不和。每个人都应该贡献自己的思想，来更好地帮助整个社会。”

生活和交响乐另外一个类似的地方是，演奏者可能并不总是有悦耳的音符，但他还是要伴随着其他人的演奏。例如，演奏者并不总是有独奏的机会，或者有在聚灯光下成为众所瞩目展现自己的机会。在生活中，每个人都有着自己光辉的瞬间，虽然他们可能会与伴奏者一样不被人注目，但是，这并不意味着他们的重要程度会比其他人低。悦耳的音乐不是总是由一种乐器发出的，而是在整个乐队的组合下流动发出的。和生活一样，每个人最终都有他们光辉的瞬间，或者有在聚灯光下成为众所瞩目展现自己的机会。

准备一个音乐会时，指挥会提醒音乐家交错的呼吸。当然,他们可以在他们需要的时候呼吸，但是他们不会与邻座的同时呼吸。如果每个人同时呼吸的话，他们将会成为音乐中寂静时刻的焦点，这也一个是能够同生活类比的例子。人们不得不在他们需要的时候才呼吸。他们不得不成为一个个体,而且知道有人会代替他们。

管弦乐队接着演奏，他们虽然彼此个个分离，但却可以组成一个团体，每个人都贡献自己的一部分，一起前进。每个音乐家都是交响乐中活跃的一个分子。在生活中，我们更加团结，作为社会中积极的一员,我们每天贡献着我们能够贡献的力量。乐队演奏完他们最后一章，音乐也结束了。片刻的寂静后，是观众雷鸣般的掌声响起。