Lithuanian television personality Gerda Žemaitė is opening up about finding love after divorce, revealing how she met her current partner in a series of serendipitous encounters.
Žemaitė spoke candidly about relationships, self-worth, her fears, and the courage to leave situations that no longer foster growth. “How do you reinvent yourself even when you feel like you have no strength left?” she asked.
Divorce Led to Self-Discovery
According to Žemaitė, there are rarely painless divorces. She described it as not only a drama between two people but a process that impacts the entire family.
“It affects both people. And if there are children involved, you first have to feel about ensuring their safety and navigating that stage as smoothly as possible,” she shared on the program.
However, it was during this difficult time that Žemaitė began her most important journey – a journey inward. She credited hypnotherapy and psychotherapy with helping her through the process, leading to a realization she hadn’t previously understood. “I always thought I had high self-esteem, and I often confused confidence with self-worth. It turns out they have absolutely nothing to do with each other,” she explained.
That’s when Žemaitė came to a startling realization. “I didn’t know I was so afraid of being alone, so afraid of being by myself,” she confessed.
According to the television personality, confronting herself at that moment was one of the most unpleasant feelings she’d ever experienced. But it was also where she discovered her true strength.
“First, I found myself. I came to the realization that the most important person in your life is yourself. If a person is in harmony and love with themselves, they can share that with everyone else,” she said.
TV3 nuotr./Gerda Žemaitė, Kristina Rimienė
Repeated Encounters with Her Current Partner
And it was then, when things felt settled internally, that life presented her with a surprise.
“When you finally reach a point where you enjoy being alone, when you’re like a blank slate, that’s when a new person can appear,” Žemaitė smiled.
As it turns out, she first spotted her current partner in a Kaunas grocery store.
“I was standing at the checkout, and he was behind me in line. He had already recognized me and thought, ‘That’s Gerda from television.’ And, as he later said, he thought I was even more gorgeous in person than on TV,” she recalled with a laugh.
A couple of weeks later, they both found themselves at the same Jessica Shy concert in Vilnius. Though their paths didn’t cross there, fate had other plans. After the concert, Žemaitė and her friends went for a walk in Vilnius’ Old Town – and so did he.
“And then he unexpectedly saw me. The third time’s the charm,” she said with a smile.
Teodoro Biliūno / BNS nuotr./Gerda Žemaitė
Navigating Divorce in the Public Eye
Žemaitė also revealed on the program that she maintained a excellent relationship with her ex-husband Andrius Žemaitis’ children even after their divorce.
“I joke now that I’m a mother of many children, given that I have two of my own and four from my partner. I’m very happy about that,” she admitted.
However, the show also touched on a difficult truth: the most terrifying thing is to be in a relationship but feel alone.
“If only one person wants it, it won’t work, because a relationship consists of two people. It’s always worth talking and trying to fix the situation, but if the other person isn’t willing to change, there comes a time when you have to choose yourself,” Žemaitė confided.
Index photography nuotr./Gerda Žemaitė
Being a public figure complicated the divorce process. According to Žemaitė, it meant that personal decisions rarely remained private.
“When we and Andrius publicly announced our divorce, there was an outpouring of messages. The views were astronomical – everyone was commenting, everyone was watching, and everyone was waiting for something,” she shared on the show.
“Pasaulis pagal moteris” (“World According to Women”) airs Sundays at 10 a.m. On TV3.
