First Drive

Finally Cleared to Drive: Why the First Mile Matters More Than the Destination

Six weeks post-op, I found myself sitting in the ophthalmologist’s office for my follow-up appointment - one of those moments where you hold your breath a little longer than usual.
Not out of fear, but out of hope.

After the exam, after the bright lights, after the questions and measurements, the doctor smiled and said the words I didn’t realise I needed so badly:

“You’re cleared to drive.”

It’s funny how a sentence that simple can feel like a door unlocking.

And naturally, the first place I drove wasn’t to run errands or catch up on the tasks that had piled up.
I went straight to the driving range.

The Small Freedoms We Don’t Notice Until They’re Gone

Being unable to drive isn’t just inconvenient. It’s humbling. It disrupts your rhythm, your independence and the quiet confidence that comes from choosing your own direction.

Sitting in that waiting room, I thought about how often life forces us into stillness. Surgery, setbacks, transitions - whatever form it takes, it’s rarely comfortable, but it teaches us to appreciate things we normally rush past.

Like freedom.
Like movement.
Like turning a key and knowing you get to decide where you’re going today.

Beginning Again Takes Courage

Walking onto the driving range felt symbolic. I wasn’t there to swing perfectly or prove anything. I was there to mark a moment:

The moment where healing turned into moving forward.

We often think we need to feel 100% ready before taking the next step, but healing doesn’t work like that. Life doesn’t work like that. Most of the time, the moment we move is the moment we begin to feel ready - not the other way around.

Progress Looks Different After a Pause

Every swing that day - smooth ones and horrible ones alike - felt like a celebration.

Not of perfection.
But of permission.

Permission to move.
Permission to enjoy life again.
Permission to start where I am, not where I left off.

If You’re in Your Own “Six-Week Follow-Up” Season

Maybe you’re waiting for good news.
Maybe you’re in a holding pattern.
Maybe you’re recovering emotionally, mentally or spiritually.

Here’s what I learned in that ophthalmologist’s office:

When life finally says, “You’re clear” - go somewhere that reminds you you’re alive.

Somewhere that reconnects you with joy.
Somewhere that feels like you.

Because your comeback doesn’t need to be dramatic.
It just needs to be yours.

With you on the journey,
– Storm Reagan
Life Coach | Lived Experience Guide