The Mother’s Day tradition offers many and varied opportunities to celebrate the amazing women in our lives. Each lady is special in her own way, and each deserves to be celebrated and shown how much she is valued.
The Origins of the “Mother’s Day in Ocala” Tradition1
A story is told of a woman who lost her mother at the turn of the 20th century. She was Anna Jarvis of West Virginia, and her mother passed away in 1905. Two years later, she held a memorial celebration of her mother’s life on May 12th and an American tradition was born. Over the next two years, celebrating mothers gained popularity throughout our nation. Then, in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared it to be an official American holiday. But the tradition of celebrating Mothers saw its origins centuries earlier. In fact, it may be as old the human existence itself.
While we have no way to determine which culture was first to celebrate mothers, we can trace it as far back as ancient Greece with certainty. The ancient Greeks celebrated the goddess Rhea, the mother of their gods, in a spring festival each year. Soon this festival evolved into a celebration of all mothers.
Mother’s Day in Ocala – Origins in the Judeo-Christian Tradition
The Judeo-Christian tradition has featured a celebration of mothers for centuries. In Judaism, mothers were always revered, and in fact, Jewish communities are matriarchal in a sense. Jews believe that religious identity passes from mother to child. Of course, by this definition Christianity is patriarchal. This is because Christians believe that religious identity passes from father to child.
As early as the 15th century, Christians celebrated “Mothering Sunday” towards the end of Lent. As a result, the celebration became associated with the month of May. While this celebration began to fade in importance over time, Anna Jarvis revived it. Soon after the celebration of her mother’s life, Anna restored Mothering Sunday to the conscience of our nation by publishing a well received book about the tradition. Unfortunately, by the time of her passing in 1948, Anna came to regret her efforts due to her perception that the celebration had become overly commercialized.
Each of us owes much to the amazing ladies in our lives. Therefore, while commercialization is the bane of many of our celebrations, we should not allow it to obscure their true meanings. Here are three great ways to share Mother’s Day with the special ladies who have brought so much joy to our lives:
Music is an Ocala Mother’s Day tradition!
FAFO presents the annual “Symphony Under The Stars” next Sunday to celebrate Mother’s Day in Ocala. This amazing Ocala tradition is a great event to enjoy with the lady in your life and the whole family! To learn more about this musical event, visit Eventbrite!
In Ocala, Mothers Day is a time to let someone else do the cooking!
If you are looking for the ultimate Mother’s Day dining experience for the whole family, the Mother’s Day Brunch offered by the World Equestrian Center may be your answer. Find out more about this amazing dining experience here. Of course, you can also celebrate the special lady in your life in a less extravagant way. There are many other amazing brunches available in Ocala!
Share a relaxing afternoon with Mom!
Celebrate Mother’s Day a day early. Enjoy a spirited walk and meet horses available for adoption. It’s a fun, relaxing and completely free event for the whole family. Enjoy a relaxing experience at Horse Protection of Florida and show your support for a good cause.
“All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” —Abraham Lincoln
To be sure, I have been fortunate to share my life with five amazing ladies. My wife and soulmate, Susie, has been my best friend, my passion and our family’s anchor. My mother, Ola, God rest her soul, endured much to raise two sons, and taught both the meaning of unwavering love. Our daughter, Lauren, is an amazing mother, career woman, and the best daughter anyone has ever had the privilege of helping to bring into the world. Our grandchildren, Allie and Natalie, are two bright, adorable kids who keep me young. I am indeed a very lucky man!
Andrew Kruglanski, MBA, ABD, Broker
(352)234-3048
andy.k@ocalahomes.online
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