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.
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By the time Aidli Mosbit turned 48, she had already secured her place as one of Singaporeâs most celebrated figures in the local theatre scene.
But while she found her love for theatre early, a different kind of love story wouldnât find her until much later, and in the most unexpected of places â 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.
âAll I asked from him (was), âWill you marry me?â It's a very simple thing,â she said.
And he said: âWhy? The relationship we have is great, so I don't think we should go to the next level.â Thatâs when I realised, okay, I donât think I want this.
A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE
Little did she know that love would soon come from someone she least expected â an ex-prison inmate named Lezan Ariffin.
âI (received) this friend request from somebody on Facebook. The message said: âI remember you.â No 'Hi', no nothing. Just âI remember you.ââ Aidli recalled, while laughing.
âSo, I wrote back to this person. I said: âI'm sorry, I can't remember where we met, but please remind me how we got to know each other.ââ
And this person wrote back again three words: âIn the prison.â
Turns out, Lezan had caught a DVD recording of her one-woman show in his prisonâs 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 âlate bloomersâ, having found love in their 40s and 50s, but they agree that their timing couldnât have been more perfect.
Sometimes it's really nice when you know you have ... found your person.
Today, sheâs 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 Aidliâs and Lezanâs story on A Letter to Myself. This podcast is a special selection of CNA938âs A Letter to Myself â 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.Â
If you know someone who has a story that can inspire listeners, please write to cnapodcasts [at] mediacorp.com.sg.
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