What does Virgil come to realize as a result of his accident in the novel, Virgil Wander?

The derailment that was responsible for Virgil's parents' deaths is symbolic of Virgil getting stuck in one place. After the derailment, Virgil moved to Greenstone, where he stayed for much of his life. Once he recovered from his own accident, Virgil saw himself as stuck and decided that he should see more of the world.