A real New Yorker likes the sound of a garbage truck in the

"A real New Yorker likes the sound of a garbage truck in the morning." — R.L. Stine. These words, though lighthearted and humorous, capture the essence of what it means to embrace the grit, the resilience, and the rhythms of urban life. To hear the sound of the garbage truck at dawn is to hear the heartbeat of the city, the pulse of life in a place where the mundane is as much a part of the symphony as the grand moments. R.L. Stine, in his characteristic wit, speaks to the way in which a true New Yorker finds comfort in the chaos and finds beauty in the everyday hustle that defines the city. The garbage truck, a symbol of the unseen and the humble, represents not just cleanliness, but the constant motion of the city, the unspoken truth that even the smallest sounds are part of something much greater.

In the ancient world, the great cities and civilizations were also defined by their daily rhythms—the sounds of labor, the calls to the market, the whispers of knowledge in the Agora. The Romans, in their bustling empire, could no more imagine a city without the noise of life than they could imagine it without their monumental buildings. To be a part of such a world was to accept that life moves in cycles, that every dawn brings with it both the grand and the humble, the noble and the simple. The garbage truck, in this sense, is not just a sign of urban life but a reflection of the deep connection between work and purpose. It serves as a reminder that nothing in a city is without meaning, even the most ordinary, the most overlooked parts of life.

Stine’s words echo the sentiments of Heraclitus, who famously stated that "Character is destiny." The character of a New Yorker, like the character of any great civilization, is shaped not just by the towering buildings or the grand gestures, but by the daily, often unnoticed, elements of life—the sounds of the city waking up, the rush of the streets, and yes, the garbage trucks that clear away the remnants of yesterday. It is through embracing the mundane that one becomes truly attuned to the heart of a place. A New Yorker—like Heraclitus’ ideal man—knows that life’s true beauty lies in its imperfections and its rhythms, even in the humblest of moments.

Consider the story of Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic emperor whose daily meditations were grounded in the idea that life’s challenges, however small or seemingly inconsequential, were part of a greater whole. Aurelius embraced the chaos of ruling an empire with grace, accepting that the sounds of the soldiers marching, the clamor of the Senate, and the small irritations of daily life were all integral to his purpose. In the same way, a New Yorker like the one Stine describes finds meaning in the morning noises, not because they are glamorous or grand, but because they represent the fabric of existence—the grind, the daily work that sustains life. For Aurelius, as for the modern New Yorker, it is the acceptance of these small noises and interruptions that allows one to live with purpose.

In our own lives, there is much to learn from Stine’s reflection. The garbage truck in the morning symbolizes the unseen work that keeps our world functioning, and it reminds us that the most important things in life are often the ones we overlook—the small, seemingly insignificant acts that form the backbone of society. Like the New Yorker, we must learn to find comfort in the routines, in the sounds that define our lives, and in the knowledge that every part of life—from the grand to the humble—serves a purpose. The sound of the garbage truck is a reminder to us that we are all part of a greater whole, and that we must not shy away from the work, however small, that sustains us.

The lesson here is simple yet powerful: embrace the everyday. Do not look down upon the simple, the humble, or the ordinary. Whether it is the sound of the garbage truck, the whispers of the market, or the rituals of our own daily life, we must learn to find meaning in the small moments, for it is through these moments that we are truly connected to the rhythm of the world. As New Yorkers embrace the noise and the chaos of their city, so too must we embrace the life that surrounds us, no matter how humble or how loud.

So, as you go about your own days, listen for the small sounds, the uncelebrated noises of life. Let them serve as a reminder that everything—from the grind of the garbage truck to the songs of the birds—contributes to the symphony of life. Find meaning in the small things, and know that it is through them that we come to understand the greater purpose of our existence. Like the true New Yorker, may we find joy in the rhythm of life, knowing that even the most humble of moments holds the key to the greater truths that guide us all.