For scorned lovers, sweet revenge is turning heartbreak into happiness

PETALING JAYA: Ever thought of feeding your exes to the lions?

A zoo in the United States is offering scorned lovers to name cockroaches after their exes, which they will then feed to its hungry resident meerkats.

Revenge is a dish best served to meerkats for those partaking in the quirky Valentine’s Day event but for others, sweet revenge is turning their heartbreak into happiness.

“Behind every successful man is a woman. Behind every successful woman is a man who broke her heart,” said Anita Yusof, the first Muslim woman to ride solo around the world.

The Ipoh-born lecturer has biked around 54 countries on her own and is now planning a return to the African continent.

Her 370-day, 65,369km solo ride across 40 countries in four continents earned her the Asia Book World Record for the Longest Bike Solo Ride Across The World (Woman) in 2017.

“Maybe I should say thank you to my ex-husband,” the 52-year-old mother of two joked.

When her marriage hit rock bottom six years ago, Anita felt the need to do something crazy before she went crazy herself.

She said a lightbulb in the darkness of her life switched on when someone suggested that she explore Kyrgyzstan by motorbike.

Anita had to overcome her childhood trauma of falling off a motorbike but as she slowly mastered the machine, she found peace behind the loud roar of the engine.

“I feel a lot better because when I’m on my bike, I can scream and no one can hear me. I can let go of whatever I hold inside my heart.

“When I’m riding my bike, I’m happy like life should be. What’s the point of staying with a man who makes you cry just because you want to hold on to the marriage?” she said.

The Givi ambassador’s advice to women is: “Don’t be afraid to walk in the dark tunnel because at the end, there will be a bright light and an exciting world.”

For 35-year-old Astrid Lou (not her real name), being cheated on by her boyfriend of 12 years was painful yet empowering.

“I thank him for not loving me anymore because otherwise, I wouldn’t have discovered the better me,” the writer said.

When Lou finally confronted him about his infidelity, he said he lied as he did not want to let go of the material comfort she gave him.

“I hated myself for being so blind ... I lost my sense of worth,” she said.

After the break-up, Lou learned to reconnect with herself, adding: “It gave me time to ponder, plan and find joy in things I used to enjoy like running, outdoor activities, Chinese calligraphy and poetry.”