A Letter to Myself Podcast: Actress-playwright Aidli Mosbit on finding love and second chances
After ending an 11-year relationship with a possessive ex-boyfriend, an unexpected message from a former prison inmate caught Aidli Mosbit's eye. This is the story of how she learnt to love again.
Be inspired by the person behind the personality on "A Letter to Myself", as newsmakers, thought leaders, and everyday people reveal the most valuable lessons they've learned through life.
By the time Aidli Mosbit turned 48, she had already secured her place as one of Singapore’s most celebrated figures in the local theatre scene.
But while she found her love for theatre early, a different kind of love story wouldn’t find her until much later, and in the most unexpected of places — prison.
It started when Aidli was in long-term relationship with a younger man. But the romance gradually unravelled.
There were moments when it got very toxic, to the point where he was controlling my life. He was kind of telling me who I should see, which friends I should keep. So, after a while, I actually kind of believed him.
Despite the warning signs, she stayed, convinced that their years together meant that they were meant to be together.
The breaking point came when Aidli proposed the idea of marriage.
“All I asked from him (was), ‘Will you marry me?’ It's a very simple thing,” she said.
And he said: ‘Why? The relationship we have is great, so I don't think we should go to the next level.’ That’s when I realised, okay, I don’t think I want this.
A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE
Little did she know that love would soon come from someone she least expected – an ex-prison inmate named Lezan Ariffin.
“I (received) this friend request from somebody on Facebook. The message said: ‘I remember you.’ No 'Hi', no nothing. Just ‘I remember you.’” Aidli recalled, while laughing.
“So, I wrote back to this person. I said: ‘I'm sorry, I can't remember where we met, but please remind me how we got to know each other.’”
And this person wrote back again three words: “In the prison.”
Turns out, Lezan had caught a DVD recording of her one-woman show in his prison’s rehabilitation programme and was immediately captivated. After his release, he found her on social media and reached out.
From there, their connection blossomed. They joke about being “late bloomers”, having found love in their 40s and 50s, but they agree that their timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Sometimes it's really nice when you know you have ... found your person.
Today, she’s in a happy marriage built on humour, shared values and mutual respect - everything she had longed for in a relationship after ending her last one.
Listen to Aidli’s and Lezan’s story on A Letter to Myself. This podcast is a special selection of CNA938’s A Letter to Myself – a show helmed by presenter Joel Chua. In this weekly podcast, Joel speaks to people from all walks of life who have extraordinary life lessons to share.
If you know someone who has a story that can inspire listeners, please write to cnapodcasts [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
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