Margaret Davis Ghielmetti – Brave(ish)
The Davis Family Handbook was “not written in ink on paper,” Margaret Davis Ghielmetti wrote in Brave(ish): A Memoir of a Recovering Perfectionist, “but bestowed upon me at birth by my parents, and engraved upon my consciousness.” Inescapable, Margaret applied the rules to every aspect of her life. The first rule was, Repeat, “How lucky am I?” and the last was, Above all, JUST DO IT, with other admonitions in the middle that taught her to be kind, stoic, and efficient.
At 40 years old, Margaret Davis Ghielmetti braves a major life change; she gives up her career to support her husband’s position as a luxury hotel general manager. Leaving New York City, their first stop abroad is in Paris for a short stay during the summer of 2000. After Paris is 15 years of homes in multiple cities in Egypt, Thailand, and Singapore, including trips to India and Switzerland. Margaret is an official expatriate and acknowledges her status as a Trailing Spouse, though not fond of the term.
As an ex-pat, initially, her goal is to be a perfect spouse, host, and tour guide for her many visitors. Margaret also plans to write a novel. Seen by friends as lucky and living the dream, she experiences bouts of loneliness and identity loss. However, as time passes, she gradually transforms into a woman who allows herself to fully enjoy the experiences of living and learning in a foreign country (though not new because she’d briefly lived in Italy when she was in her early twenties). The language barriers, cultural differences, and a few faux pas don’t deter her. On occasion, Margaret finds herself in awkward situations because of her naïveté, wondering if she should be afraid. Often, she has to summon the courage to continue her journey of self-discovery.
Life in four continents ultimately returns to where it began, back in the United States. Chicago is again home for Margaret and Patrick, and timely, as she can care for her aging parents. As Margaret reacclimates, she finds fulfillment as a Live Lit Storyteller, winning two StorySLAMs with The Moth. Worthy of note is her solo show, “Fierce,” that she writes and performs. It is about re-discovering her creative expression. She is also passionate about sharing the beauty of the world through her photos.
It’s now 2020. And the book she was supposed to be writing? Well it didn’t happen as planned, i.e., not the novel, but this memoir, which for many readers, is a novel! Brave(ish) is getting outstanding reviews based on Margaret Davis Ghielmetti’s engaging and witty prose that takes you along as she navigates both the beauty and complexities of unfamiliar terrain. She also shares her struggles and imparts her primary message: It’s never too late to reconnect with our authentic selves—if we dare to put our own lives first at last. Margaret displays it on the homepage of her website. Visit! And while you’re there, watch her funny and spirited performances.
Margaret welcomes your emails and visits to her social media. The icons are on her contact page.
Margaret, this globetrotter postcard is perfect! I suppose I should not have expected anything less from a recovering perfectionist. 🙂 And love your note, too. Thank you for the obvious thought given – the hearts, the hang-time closing (insider humor), the lookin’ and hearin’ southernisms from my website\’s Participate Page… all a joy.
Best wishes as you continue your journey, always incorporating those valuable lessons learned. ❤️
~Anita~
