In my view, the best of humanity is in our exercise of empathy and compassion. It's when we challenge ourselves to walk in the shoes of someone whose pain or plight might seem so different than yours that it's almost incomprehensible.

-Sarah McBride

He walked into the train station for the first time on one warm, summer day. The bright sky and clear air matched his confidence as he took his first steps into the station and looked around. He was definitely uncertain on where he wanted to go. But as for most people that entered the train station, he wasn’t that concerned. Because although this seemed like an ordinary place, this was far more than your average train station. This was the station beyond recognition, where identities were set, where one might find his place in the world. In a way, this was the station where life began.

The first thing that caught his attention was the trains. Over endless stretches of track, an infinite number of trains could be seen in every direction. There were trains of every size and kind. There were very small trains, and only a few people could fit in, although everyone tried to. There were large trains packed with people, and some huge trains with only a couple. The trains were decked in many colors, from pink, to black, to bright yellow, and everything in between. He was overwhelmed by the vast variety of trains that surrounded him, none of them ever exactly similar. There were so many choices.

As he approached the tracks, he saw a big sign, with rules posted on them. Everybody already knew the rules, but they were posted anyway:

Any person in the train station may become a Conductor.
New people come into the train station and stand in the loading docks, waiting for the train they want to join.
When the train comes to load, the Conductors get to choose who comes on, and who gets off.
Those chosen board the train, which takes them to the unique destinations that the train is going to.
You may get off a train at any time along the journey at the next loading dock. However, once the train had reached its final destination, there is no train to take anyone back.
Thank you, and enjoy the ride.
The possibilities that abounded in this wonderful place overwhelmed him as he practically ran to the loading docks. He scanned the station as he went, looking for the first train he wanted to try. This would be so easy! He could see himself riding the trains to many different places, filling his life with wonder and fascination. This was his passion. This was his life.

He first chose to join the crowds at a large, shiny train. This train promised lots of company and fun times all around. He had noticed that many of the trains advertised similar things, but this one had the biggest crowds, so it was sure to be good. He slipped his way into the crowds as the train pulled in, and the massive doors slid open. A few people left, but not many. The crowd waited with excitement to board this train.

Then the Conductors appeared at the foot of the train. He could see their bright faces, beaming with power and importance. WIthout hesitation, they started to invite people onto the train. They would come to each person personally, greet them, and ask them to get on the train. The people excitedly bounded onto the train and took their seat, looking like they had just been given new life. He stood in excitement as one of the Conductors came towards him, inviting every person They came to to get on the train. The Conductor invited the 3rd person to his left. Then the 2nd person to his left. Then the person right next to him! This was his moment!

The conductor pretended like he didn’t even exist, and invited the person on the other side of him to enter the train.

Pretty soon, all the chosen passengers were loaded onto the train, and it took off, speeding out of the station before anyone could blink. He just stood there, frozen, with a permanent smear of shock across his face. That guy had completely ignored him! What a jerk!

But he wasn’t about to let one train get in the way of his confidence. He’d become part of a different train, and become so famous on that train that those selfish conductors would be jealous that they hadn’t let him on! He carefully chose his second target:  a smaller train, but still very clean and shiny. It advertised good friends and a sense of belonging. He definitely wanted that! He walked confidently onto the loading dock, sure that this would be the train he would get on.

And again, the same thing happened. It was almost like the Conductors were trying to avoid him! It made absolutely no sense. Why would they not even give him a chance? Did they not see his potential? He kicked at the ground in frustration, and walked away with the other rejects, who looked equally disappointed. Among them, He saw a kid with many pimples, walking with a smile on their face, like the rejection he had faced had had no effect on them. He was so confused that He ran to catch up with the boy.

“Aren’t you mad at those Conductors?” He asked the boy, still a bit bothered by how happy he looked.

“Not really” the boy replied. “I’ve been rejected by those guys hundreds of times. It’s not their fault.”

“Not their fault? They completely ignored us with even knowing who we were!”

“They don’t really know anyone before they let them on the train. They are doing their best to guess. Just because they don’t pick me, it doesn’t mean they hate me. I just didn’t get picked.”

Then the strange boy walked away, got on a loading dock for a small train, and was immediately accepted inside. He looked out the door and shouted to him: “Get on this loading dock! I’m a Conductor! We aren’t very popular, but we have joy!”

He was about to get on the loading dock, but paused right next to it. He wanted to ride a big train. He wanted to be popular among the riders. If he rode on this small, lesser known train, what would the Conductors of the big trains think about Him? Would they think He wasn’t good enough to ride on bigger and better things? No offense, but that boy seemed completely unwanted by any of the more important trains. What if that happened to Him?

“Oh, no thanks,” He responded. “I think I’ll keep exploring for a while.”

“Well, ok!” the boy cheerfully remarked, “This train will always be here if you decide to come back!”

He quickly walked away, grateful to have narrowly escaped that situation. He was determined to never go back to that train. The big train life was the life he wanted! He didn’t care where it was going, just as long as it was big, new, and filled with people.

The rest of the day, however, was just as disappointing as the start. He didn’t get what the problem was! No matter how many different trains he went to, they all rejected him, ignored him, and left him in the dust. He felt angry, mistreated, and most of all, alone. He looked up through the large, windows of the train station and saw that the day was almost over. The sky was turning a soft red as the sun slowly set. He had nowhere to go in this place. No train to take him anywhere tonight. So he went home.

Early the next morning, he found himself once again eagerly setting foot inside the train station. He had kept a confident face at home, didn’t tell his parents about his failures, and decided to simply put the past behind him. Today was going to be the day, He was sure of it. Today he was going to get on a train.

The sounds of the crowds getting on trains filled the station that early. Everybody was getting back on their usual trains, and already, new people were fighting for their acceptance. He was filled with anticipation as he once again approached the trains and began to wait patiently for the right train to notice him.

But time and time again, He was overlooked, ignored, and rejected.

By midday, He was furious. He couldn’t understand what was wrong with the train Conductors. He was trying his best, but they acted like He wasn’t even there!

As he waited for another train he wanted to board, his eyes drifted over to the train with that one kid on it… the kid had invited him onto the train. Maybe He could…

No. He had to stay focused. His future as a prominent train rider was on the line here. So he turned away from the train, and continued his search.

And so the weeks passed in similar fashion. Before He knew it, two months had passed. And still, no train had accepted him. He had continued to search with vigor for a train that would accept him, but it was getting harder to be so enthusiastic every day when train after train was passing him by. He hadn’t told his parents- He didn’t think they’d be that interested in his concerns. Instead, He wandered day after day, hoping and hoping that one of these great trains would stop right in front of him and welcome him onboard.

But it never happened. And He was getting discouraged. Why would every Conductor overlook him? Up to this point he had just assumed the Conductors couldn’t see his potential. Now he was starting to think some new thoughts. And they didn’t feel good.

He looked at his reflection in the side of a shiny new train and thought aloud, “Is there something wrong with me?”

Was there something wrong with him? Something everyone could see except him, that made him undesirable? He didn’t believe it. He didn’t want to believe it. But what if?

Discouraged by the thought, He walked a bit slower that day. He made it to less trains. He barely listened to the Conductors as they picked people. His thoughts were pressing on him too hard, making it difficult to concentrate on what they were saying. He was trying to decide if there was really something wrong with him.

And it made the following weeks and months even worse than before.

Now, it wasn’t true. There was nothing wrong with him. At least, nothing that warranted being rejected by every train. But He didn’t know that. All He saw were the trains constantly rejecting him, and he couldn’t understand why it was happening. So he turned inward. He made up things that he thought could be wrong about him. And as he thought about them, he began to believe them. He was losing hope that any train would ever accept him. And why would they? Maybe now he saw what they saw. He saw all the imperfections that the Conductors saw. Perhaps they were right.

And these thoughts only took a little while to convince him that He wasn’t ever going to get on a train. He didn’t even pay attention to the Conductors as they passed by him on every loading dock. He forgot the idea of the boy and the other train- they probably wouldn’t accept him now. He just walked slowly, from train to train, slowly losing the seemingly useless hope that a Conductor would ever want someone like him on their train.

Why would they? He was not good enough.

And with that thought, he had confirmed every doubt in his mind. If that was true, why was He even trying? Why was he chasing after these trains if all they would ever do is pass him up, because he was obviously not good enough?

And so, holding back tears of resignation, he walked over to the wall, and sat down. It was the first time he had ever sat down in the station, it would be far from the last. For the next several months-maybe even a year (He wasn’t keeping good track of time), he sat in that spot all day, then went home. Home was the only place he felt any comfort, although even that was starting to fade as he realized his family was only taking pity on his horrifying state. He never talked about any of it. Nobody wanted to listen to him complain and whine. No one wanted to listen to him anyway.

And so he sat. He only went to the train station because he had to.

He watched the other people getting on trains, and it filled him with anger and jealousy. He wanted what they had- a life free from imperfections and problems. They had it easy. They weren’t plagued by the unfavorable qualities he possessed. He was sick of looking at every happily boarding trains. He had to get away.

At that moment, that was the only thought that occupied his mind. He had to get away from this station and never come back. He couldn’t go home either.

He was THROUGH with this frustration.

He would leave. Forever.

And just as these thoughts were finalizing in his mind, He felt a hand press against his shoulder.

He looked up.

It was the boy, crouching down in front of him.

Immediately, He turned away. He was ashamed. The boy had been the only one to turn to him with any kindness, and He, being the horrible, stupid person he was, had rejected him. Now the boy was back. And at the state He was in, the boy could now reject him, cast him aside, and leave him alone, just like everyone else. The boy was here to finish the job.

But the boy didn’t.

Instead, He saw tears falling down the boy’s eyes. The boy looked at him with pure empathy and said, “Come. I know what happened to you. It happened to me.”

He looked up at the boy in wonder. Someone else knew his pain.

“How do you know?” He asked in partial disbelief. He thought he was the only one in his horrible state.

“I suffered through it.” The boy said. “I was here. Sitting in this spot, a thousand horrible thoughts spinning through my mind. I wanted to leave as well.”

“How did you know that?” He asked in wonder. He hadn’t told anyone about his thoughts, plans, or anything.

“Because it happened to me.” The boy stood up and held out his hand. “Now, are you ready to get on my train?”

He took the boy’s hand. His thoughts were exploding at the seams as his stood up and followed the boy through the station. As He neared the train, he stopped. He hadn’t paid close enough attention to this train before. Maybe he wasn’t looking with the right perspective. It was still, indeed, small. But now, that didn’t matter. The train was white, from top to bottom. It was glowing with radiance. Every other train was utterly insignificant compared to the spectacle of this train.

And He had been accepted inside.

He would soon find out that this train was different from all the others.

They welcomed everyone who stood on the loading dock.

They were different, so they weren’t popular.

But He, along with everyone else on the train, were Happy. Truly Happy.

And the loading dock is still there.

And You can get on.