The Station You Refuse to Leave: What if Today You Finally Did?

Rita stood in the middle of a crowded station, coat buttoned, bag in hand, feet aching. The train was there — right in front of her. Doors open. Lights on. Humming with possibility.

And yet… it wasn’t moving.

Around her, the crowd sighed and complained.

“How long have we been waiting?”
“Days. Weeks maybe.”
“Ridiculous. Someone should do something.”

They all stared at the train. The open door. The flashing button.

Everyone knew what it meant. The train wouldn’t move unless someone pressed it. But no one did.

They pretended it wasn’t there. Avoided looking. Sat on their hands and talked about how tired they were. How unfair it all was.

Rita waited. Then one day , or one hour, she felt something stir. A quiet pull. A whisper.

She looked at the button again.

And this time, she moved.

She didn’t know where the train would go. She didn’t feel ready. But she knew she couldn’t stay in that place of silent misery any longer.

So she pressed the button. The door closed. The train moved.

And Rita finally  left the station.

Story Summary

This story is an allegory for living with purpose. The train station represents the in-between place so many of us find ourselves in — full of desire but paralyzed by uncertainty. The button is a symbol of choice and personal power. And Rita’s decision is the moment of courage — not because she knows where she’s going, but because she chooses to begin.

Allegorical Elements Are Clear and Symbolic

Representation: The Train Station

Element: Feeling stuck in life, waiting for permission or certainty before acting. A metaphor for passive living.

Rita: The everywoman — someone who feels the desire for more but is scared to move. 

The Button:  Inner agency. The power to choose. The action no one wants to take even though they can.

The Complaining Crowd:  Society's comfort in collective misery. Those who fear change more than stagnation.

The Flashing Light:  A call to action. A persistent reminder that the option to leave — to grow — is always there.

Rita Pressing the Button:  The turning point. Living with purpose begins not when you know where you're going, but when you choose to move.

You can download a free PDF version of The Station Where No One Leaves,  that includes reflection questions and affirmations.

Use these questions in your journal or share them in a group session or discussion. Here are a couple of examples

1. What train station am I standing in right now?

2. What does my “button” look like — the action I keep avoiding?