Thanksgiving eve my mom asked my brother and I to attend mass. Growing up I was raised catholic. Young, innocent, naive. I've come far from that innocent naive young boy. Today, I don't pray as often, I attend mass lesser. I blame it on science.

It's interesting to think about my career as a designer vs my life as a faithful catholic . Good Industrial design to me is the ability to balance, it's orchestrating the right amounts of emotions (art) vs logic an reason (science.)

Today, I would go rounds with someone about art and design. I defend art & rely on practicality, reasoning and logic of science. I defend the emotions that drives me to create. Making objects that push me, that push my feelings . I design to stimulate, to describe an emotion, play with the senses. For what? To bond and relate to others. There is nothing more compromising to the guards we put up than showing people our vulnerability, nothing more relatable, or give a sense of camaraderie than the way design allows me to be.

My life now is designing products that connect to the world, and to people. We are pareidolic, we see hints of people and faces in design. Cars look aggressive or gentle in their design styling. Anthropomorphic in ways. I build empathy into machines. But If emotions, people and art drive me. Then what is the value of science? Science is calculative, its logical to me. Today I wonder why I use art to feel and live. But, use science in the face of the catholic temple that brought me up. To challenge words like: spirit, holy and faith. Aren't these cut from the same emotional fabric as art to me? You have faith because you feel no?

I'm writing this as a confession. That I don't go to mass, not because I don't believe in a god. But I've seen bad people, wear good people masks. I believe in all hierarchy. That one should have some sort of goodness gauge in life . All religion teaches good values. At its core, be good to people, treat others with respect, and dignity.

Thanksgiving eve I lied. I lied to my mom. I said I went to mass.

Why? Science, pride, logic, reasoning.

My mom tells me a story. A man sees a girl crying on the side walk. He approaches her and asked why. She wants to buy her mom flowers for Mother's Day, and missing a few coins. He offers to help and drives her to her mother. They drive for awhile and end up at a cemetery. At this moment the man realizes. "Why do I send flowers to my mother when she's still alive." This girl can't even say hi to her own mother, if she wanted to.

I'd go to mass again to hear these types of stories. To remind me of family and the important things in life.

My group of friends are young and full of energy. Last year it took a death for many of us to realize how delicate life is. Losing a friend, brother, cousin, son at the peak of his career really upsets things. Have whatever faith you want, believe in any god you like. Just live good. Keep those that matter close, love often, and love hard.