Look up... is there a latch?

Author

Ellen Oshinsky
April 28, 2025

Before I dive into this week’s Monday musing! Save the date!

Awesome humans— We are soon to release detz on Circle and Spoke’s Summer OVERNIGHT retreat Friday, July 18th- Sunday, July 20th in Ohiopyle, PA. If you haven’t been to Ohiopyle it’s literally and figuratively GORGE-ous!

There’s going to be whitewater rafting, biking, and rad reflection and rest surrounded by a community of badass women & non-binary folks!

Fill out the interest form 👇️ if you are game to be one of the first invites 🙂

When I was training two years ago to bike from DC to Pittsburgh, I was at my friendly Gold’s Gym, using the rowing weight machine when suddenly I heard this woman gasp, “Are you from Riverdale?”

I got to talking to this friendly fellow gym user, Diane, who informed me that she recently had moved to DC from Riverdale in the Bronx. Years before when I lived in Manhattan, I volunteered on a MLK Day of Service and I got a rad “Make Time for Good” T-shirt, which I happened to be wearing that day at the gym. On the back were the logos of a bunch of organizations and communities across New York City, including one Diane knew from her days in Riverdale. 

Fast forward to the present. Diane and I are not only neighbors, but we have become friends. I love our intergenerational friendship. 

And on Friday, I was at her apartment and she said, “I’m so sorry, but my apartment is very stuffy right now. I can’t seem to open my window.”

So she sauntered up to her window, lifted her blinds up a bit and tried to open the window. 

No luck. 

So then, I sauntered up to the window and with all my strength, tried to open the window. 

No luck. 

Now, Diane is a strong lady and so am I. 

And this window wasn’t budging. So I had this little gut sense, this had NOTHING to do with our strength. Perhaps something structurally was blocking the window from opening. 

I looked at the latch. The lower one was open. And then I lifted the blinds further and looked at the upper latch. 

Bingo! The upper latch was closed. 

I popped the latch up and immediately was able to push the window open. 

Breeze flowed in. 

Diane was relieved and I giggled. 

Diane went to retrieve something and remarked, “That’s a metaphor for something.” 

So I’ve been thinking about that metaphor….

Sometimes in life, you aren’t having success not because you lack the strength. 

It’s because you are trying to step into something that is fully blocked. 

Perhaps take a breath and don’t question your strength. Question the set up and discover if the metaphorical or physical latch is waiting to be unlocked! 

Wheels up, 

Ellen