Illuminated Homes and Dark Homes!

In Kuwait and other countries, there are two social phenomena worth noting: the phenomenon of “illuminated homes” and its counterpart, “darkened homes.” Illuminated homes are those whose doors remain open most of the time to guests—relatives, friends, and even strangers. This is not necessarily linked to wealth, house size, or the number of household staff. An illuminated home may belong to a low- or middle-income family living in a modest house, with or without domestic help. Yet, thanks to the hostess’s generosity, energy, and sociability, the home remains vibrant and constantly visited.

By contrast, darkened homes do not necessarily reflect stinginess or limited income. They may be spacious residences belonging to wealthy, generous families. However, the hostess may lack social grace or organizational skill, and laziness and neglect may prevail. As a result, the home remains dark, with no visitors from relatives or friends. The living rooms and furniture sets remain unused and new despite the passage of many years. Household staff, if any, are few, often untrained, and unfamiliar with proper hospitality practices. Typically, the owners of darkened homes are unaware of the joy, happiness, and contentment enjoyed by those living in illuminated homes, simply because they have never experienced it. Thus, this is an appeal to all housewives, regardless of their home’s size, to transform their residences into illuminated homes.

I still recall the experience of a European diplomat who lived in one of Kuwait’s upscale but socially reserved neighborhoods. She energized the entire community, got to know her Kuwaiti neighbors, and encouraged them to open their homes and brighten them through reciprocal visits and shared socializing. This practice continued for years. However, shortly after the diplomat left Kuwait, the open doors closed again, and the illuminated homes reverted to being darkened.

Another long-standing summer tradition in Mount Lebanon is the phenomenon of illuminated homes. Most residents—predominantly Druze, with some Maronite Christians—keep their doors open for daytime and evening visits. Naturally, every guest brings homemade food to avoid burdening the hostess. A beautiful feature of these joyful mountain homes is witnessing members of the same family arriving from diverse corners of the world: some from Africa, others from Latin America, Europe, the United States, or the Gulf. Days of summer passed quickly thanks to the culture of illuminated homes, open doors, and active social life. A key part of these visits included trips to the home and museum of the artist and sculptor brothers Assaf, located on the slopes of a green mountain.

In conclusion, illumination is preferable to darkness. Life passes quickly, and the gloom of the lonely grave awaits at the end of the road.