Sara-Jayne Slocombe (she/her)<p>Happy birthday weekend to me! 🎉 </p><p>This is one of my all-time fave photos of me, from my birthday 3 years ago. </p><p>I didn't grow up climbing trees. </p><p>I still remember watching the local men climbing our palm trees when we lived in Hawai'i, collecting coconuts. Those trees were about two stories tall, and they just shimmied up them, with no or very little equipment. It was absolutely astonishing to watch, especially since I don't think I'd ever climbed any tree before.</p><p>I was discouraged from that sort of play as a child. And to be fair, I never broke a bone.</p><p>Somewhere along the way, a healthy fear of things going wrong whilst climbing and playing more physically was instilled in me. So I just didn't. I would wistfully watch others climb trees, but no, I was convinced I couldn't do that sort of thing safely.</p><p>Then, 3 years ago, whilst wandering the grounds of some stately home, this perfect climbing tree presented itself. I was fed up of living small, and seized by the urge to just do it, finally. So I did!</p><p>And now I use the photo to remind me that I can do things. Things I've been told I couldn't; things I didn't think I could; hard things; odd things; whatever they are, I can do them. </p><p>What tree will you climb this year?</p><p><a href="https://mathstodon.xyz/tags/Birthday" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Birthday</span></a> <a href="https://mathstodon.xyz/tags/naturephotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>naturephotography</span></a> <a href="https://mathstodon.xyz/tags/motivation" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>motivation</span></a></p>