Monday, August 3, 2009

Sharing: Pink Habit (updated on Apr 7, 2023)














Since 2004, I started to wear pink because I like to wear my pink bag with a pig’s head. Gradually, I added my pink collection. Since then, I wear pink everyday, and my bag is full with pink stuffs e.g. wallet, pencil case, umbrella, notebook, and water bottle. Several friends asked for the reason of my pink habit.
I was starting to collect pig stuffs in 1998 but I did not do it seriously till 2003. As the time runs, I got more collection. I chose pig stuffs because I was born in 1971, the year of the pig in Chinese calender. I have more than 300 pieces of pig stuffs e.g. statue, doll, bag, pillow, bolster, slipper, car cushion seat, frame, ashtray, ballpoint, night lamp, card holder, pendant, glass, pencil case, CD shelf, toothpick holder, blazer, night dress, cellular phone, comb, door mat, sheet, towel, and wallet. I placed all my collection in two glass cabinets in my home town, Mojoagung-Indonesia. I bought most of the collections and the rest were gifts from my friends and siblings. It was bought in Surabaya, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, China, Taiwan and Singapore.  Here is the link of my collection: https://youtu.be/XgVukyF9bOE
During our retreat in 2006, several people were curious because my sister and I always wore pink. I said it’s to make the love in the air. When I read the motto of Maryknoll Sisters, making God’s love visible, I started to see the similarity. How my worldly thinking became my connection to Maryknoll.
I planned to replace my camera in 2007 because it was not good anymore. While walking in a shopping mall with a friend, I saw a pink camera for the first time. I found out that there was another brand which is compatible with my memory card. I sold my camera and went to the store again several days later. Unfortunately, they didn’t have pink camera anymore. I walked around the shopping mall and saw a new camera store. There was the only pink camera in the store. What a holy coincidence!
I planned to buy a laptop before leaving for USA. My friends suggested me to buy it in USA because it would be cheaper. I didn’t see the need to buy the laptop in the first months of my orientation in Chicago because we have two computers in our computer room. One of my professors asked whether I had a pink computer because she noticed that I had pink stationary including pink iPod. One day, I walked around in a stationary store and I saw a pink laptop coincidencely. Several weeks later, one of my professors told her friend that I had a pink laptop. Due to my increase need in using computer, I like photography and writing, I decided to buy a pink laptop including a pink laptop case.
When discerning to religious life, I prefer to be a sister without a habit so I can still wear my pink collection. As my sharing “I Learn,” I learn to appreciate religious persons who are in habit although I still love my own pink habit.
That’s why I am known as a “Pink Lady” or “Lady in Pink” or “Pink Sister.” Several people know who is Pink Sister or Lady in Pink even though they didn’t know my name.
During the orientation, I had several experiences of God’s providence through pink e.g. getting pink bedroom in one of our retreats, getting pink towel when I should sleep in a TV room since my room was locked in the middle of the night (please read my sharing “Fall 07 in Chicago”), getting pink bunny toy during plastic egg hunting (please read my sharing “I learn”), getting pink instead of blue cover of our General Assembly Proceeding (please read my sharing “Fall 08 in Chicago”). That’s why I still wear pink all the time.
Many of my sisters and friends support my pink habit including giving something pink e.g. mouse, earphone, clothes, bracelet, birthday cake, flowers, etc. They said it looks nice on me and don’t let anyone change it. My friend Robert gave me a pink pig toy! My friend Roger wore pink long sleeve on our last class and showed his pink driver’s licence.
I started a gathering of Indonesian Catholic Community around Hyde Park. I put pink as the dress code for May 2009 since it will be my last gathering and 12 persons came in pink! I put pink or Indonesian clothes as the dress codes on my first profession of vows invitation.
I have pink bedsheets, a pink blanket, pink towels, a pink bedcover in my bedroom in Chicago as well as in Maryknoll Sisters Center provided by our hospitality staffs.
Laura Adams was printing information about pink because she was planning for our kitchen bulletin board. She could not believe I appeared just as she had the papers in her hand. It was an unusual time for us to meet as the evening meal had ended. It was a Holy coincidence, wasn't it.
Some people asked whether I will change my pink habit. I don’t know yet, at least not in the near future, because it’s still a sign of God’s presence in my life especially through the holy coincidences. One morning, somebody asked when will I change my pink habit and in the evening somebody else support my pink habit. Or somebody supported my pink habit in front of somebody else who asked when I will change my pink habit.
Wearing pink habit is one of my ways to be truthful to myself. I can say that I have a theological reflection on my pink habit.

Ossining-New York, Aug 2, 2009



Anastasia B. Lindawati, M.M.
Let’s do simple things with simple love to make God’s love visible

P.S. Here is the video of my pig collection: https://youtu.be/XgVukyF9bOE

2 comments:

  1. :)
    Nice Pink Habit story!
    Jesus<3U
    shalom

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Br.Mark:Thank you very much for your appreciation.GBU.

    ReplyDelete