It started with the renewal of my Israeli driver’s license in December 2025. A simple procedure, you would think. The requirement for seniors my age is an eye test by a licensed optometrist, and a family doctor filling in a form with existing medical conditions that may prevent you from driving. Since I have MS, which has been stable for many years, a neurologist still has to approve that I am okay to drive. No problem, I thought, I have an appointment with my neurologist in a few days, and he will sign off on the permission for me to drive. Surprise. After checking my functioning, he decided to be on the safe side and asked for a comprehensive mental ability test. No problem, he said, your medical insurance covers it, and it is possible to do it at their clinic without extra expense. “Send me the results, and I will approve the driver’s license application.”

Needless to say, it was not so simple. The health provider was indeed able to provide the test; however, I would have to wait till mid-May. From their point of view it was reasonable, since I had a temporary extension of my license until the end of June.  However, I had already purchased tickets to travel to Canada at the beginning of May. So, I searched for a private provider, and for a hefty sum had an accomplished occupational therapist come to my house and administer the comprehensive test. I passed with flying colours, and sent the results to my doctor. Oops, the secretary was sick, and when she came back a week later, the doctor was away for his Christmas vacation, and she passed the file to the head of the department who had not seen me for the past year. He decided to, pardon my French, cover his ass, and send a request to the Road Safety Institute for their decision.

This involved some more birocratic procedures: sending in documents, opening a file, sending results of tests, and waiting.

In the beginning of April, I finally received a letter stating that they’d gone through my file, and I did not have to come for additional testing after all, and I could go to the license bureau to receive my new license.  This one, because of my age, is valid for only a year, and then I will have to go through the whole procedure again. Let us hope that next time it goes much smoother. Or will it?

On arriving in Canada I found a letter awaiting me to inform me of the need to renew my Canadian driver’s license. I was jetlagged, but felt that I had so much to do in a hurry, that I needed a car. I needed to see my friend. I looked for a rental for 5 months, but found only monthly rentals, so I took one. I called to book an appointment for renewing my license, and got one for Friday morning at 8:30. Without thinking, I said OK. What was I thinking? I never get out of bed before 9, and I still had almost 2 months before my license expired. What was the rush?

Well, I paid dearly for pushing myself. I did make the appointment. The eye test went fine. I only had to draw a circle and put down numbers for a clock, and mark the time as 11:15. Simple! Not that morning. I drew the circle, put on it the numbers and proceeded to place the small hand on 11, and the long hand on 2, which made it 11:10, rather than 11:15. That failed me. They did not allow me to correct it, and told me I would have to pass a road test. Had I been in a different state, I would have demanded to see the supervisor, and explain my situation, but uncharacteristically, I just accepted the verdict, and left.

My road test was scheduled for Thursday the week of the burial of my best friend. Listening to my wise daughter, I took a driving lesson the day before, and thought I came prepared. The test went well; I was a bit over confident, and we were returning to the location of the office. We had to go right into a main street and the light was red. A truck and a car were in front of me, and they slowed and drove right. My turn arrived, and instead of making a full stop and then turning, I slowed like them and turned. Needless to say, I failed. I do have another chance in about 3 weeks, and I’d better not fail again! I will go over the sheet of comments, learn all the rules, and this time no excuses. I must succeed.

I failed again. I protested, but nothing helped. I got another date, in August. By this date my drivers license had expired, but I had an extension. This was annoying already, and I contacted a driving school to get their most experienced and patient driving instructor. He really was good. I realized that I actually failed since driving for over 40 years does not necessarily mean I remember all the little tricks. He knew what the inspectors are looking for, and for what  they take points off. I made a list of all the moves and tricks needed for the main instructions: Pull over, parallel park behind a truck or a car, park up hill, downhill, with or without a sidewalk, 3-point turn. I wrote down every trick he shared for each of the maneuvers. We practised and practised, and I told him the joke about the man stopping a taxi driver in NY city asking “how do I get to Carnegie Hall?”. The cabbie told him “Practise, Practise, Practise”. So, we practised again just before the test, and guess what? I PASSED. I have a new driver’s license, good for two years, which will come in the mail. Hopefully no mail strikes.

How did we celebrate, you may ask. By lucky coincidence we had tickets to a play in Stratford, Ontario, a famous summer theatre location with 4 venues which are world-famous. The main theatre is a Shakespearian venue that seats almost 2200, with a semicircular stage, a main area, and a balcony.

The Peterson theatre is where we saw “The Tao of the world” that day. It is a very modern building with a stage that runs in the middle surrounded by seats. The play was written by a Canadian, Jovanny Sy, in the style of and in homage to the Restoration comedy “The way of the World,” written 3 centuries ago by William Congreve. The Restoration period refers to the decades after the ascension of Charles the II to the British throne, following the defeat of Cromwell’s commonwealth.

Restoration Comedies tend to be centered on the lives and transgressions of the upper class, and their use and abuse of their servants The play he wrote was an entertaining production about the life of the Philippine elite and their servants, about life, joy and the absurdity of falling in love. But mainly it was full of laughter.

We’d bought our tickets a while back, not knowing that we would be celebrating my successful driving test. We continued the celebration the next day at the Festival Theater with “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare: a spectacular production.

Life brings sorrows and joy. We are not the ones to chose what and when they come.  All we can hope for is that we are able to accept the challenges of the difficult times and patiently work toward resolutions. Joys are a bit different.  They can come unexpected, but they can also be planned. We need to look for what makes us happy and use every opportunity to fulfill our desire for joy.