Haven of Memories

 Lavia Lavine's Haven of Memories is a Var region with a mission - to spread serenity, and to protect memories, specifically of the ones we have loved and lost.

Lavia Lavine

Arriving on Haven of Memories - the full HG Address is of course at the end of the post - you feel as if you've entered a celestial park, all swirly clouds and golden gates.

Next, a rainbow bridge, shrouded in mist, completes the sensation of moving on to another place, but never fear! You're just visiting!

Such a monumental and memorable entrance to this region, the feeling of magnificence is impressed even further by a grand staircase, lit with a golden light...

 taking you down to ground level ...

and the park proper, which is huge, and filled with statues, fountains, wide avenues and sweeping curves. In geographical terms the VARegion is made up of a large central island, cut through by floral walks and punctuated by plazas, and the whole surrounded by a wilder forested area, creating the feel of a formal garden embraced by nature. 

Mal admires the fountain

Lots of fountains here, and the sounds of the build are an important part of the immersive experience.

Lavia led us from place to place,under laburnum and wisteria pergolas. There's plenty of space here for walking, and, importantly, for being alone with your thoughts, if you so wish - the sim is open 24/7 for people to drop in at any time.

Lavia took us to see a series of memorials that celebrate the lives of some names many of us are familiar with...

like Spoiled Diva, a friend of Lavia from her early days in Opensim, and who was instrumental in Lavia's virtual life - it was thanks to the Diva that Lavia met Star Ravenhurst, who is now a close collaborator with her on Genesis RP Grid.

The memorial to Spoiled Diva

Other memorials remember Veritas McMaster and Soul Grid's Rudy Backerly, a man who was such an inspiration to so many lovers of opensim community and grid jumping with his easy humor and modesty. 

Singer Softwhisper Littlewing's memorial.

Each build is a little different, and it's easy to see how much time and effort Lavia has put into personalizing them.This memorial to Softwhisper Littlewing is a charming example, and it was particularly touching to have with us Andremus Miklos, whose partner Rosie Portello is remembered here.

Andremus Miklos and the Rosie Portello memorial.

The idea of having a memorial garden on a specific grid makes so much sense when you see it in action. It's a place that can be visited on demand, when the need or desire arises, and the sense of community - that others can also remember the person with you, and that, in your loss, you're certainly not alone, because loss is a shared experience - all these elements can help achieve a sense of perspective which is an essential element in the process of healing.

Lavia has taken into account the different ways in which people may want to think about their loved ones, and so she has created a variety of areas - there's a place, shown here, where you can light a candle...

... and there's a small woodland chapel on a little island in the river...

... and even a sweet pet cemetery ...

... there is also a larger building, with sleek modern glass dome and concrete fretwork design, a community space with plenty of seating.  Lavia took a great deal of time to choose the textures for the glass dome, to find something appropriate and elegant for this space, which remains both airy and luminous, and just the right touch of somber appropriate for a memorial oration. 

On occasion, someone will pass away and their RL family and friends will be invited to come inworld to be part of the memorial held virtually. That's a great way for everyone to acknowledge the 'two worlds' that are both grieving, and it can, on occasion, be a great comfort for real-life family members to discover how many friends their relative had in virtual worlds, how much they impacted the lives of people all around the world, and how genuine and concrete the bonds of friendship can be even among people who have never met in person.  

This is usually a one-off opportunity for those family members to get an idea about what virtual worlds look like, and what their relative was involved in, so a place like this, built with such style and high quality, from both the textures to the structures and assets like statues and chairs - it's a really important way to honor the loved one, by showing Opensim off at its best, most visually sophisticated and dignified. Since Lavia is open to the use of this sim by anyone from any grid, should the need occur, it's easy to imagine that this area will be both useful, and a comfort, to the community for years to come.

HG Address: grid.genesis-roleplay.org:8002:Haven of Memories

hop://grid.genesis-roleplay.org:8002/Haven%20of%20Memories/297/732/54

contact Lavia Lavine on Genesis RP Grid if you would like to organize an event on this region