Mauna Kea. The tallest mountain in the world is not Mount Everest (29,035 ft). That’s the highest mountain, but the tallest, measured from it’s base at 33,500 feet, is Mauna Kea, the island of Hawaii. Do you know how I know this? I’m sure I heard it somewhere. I’m a sponge for trivial knowledge. However I’m sure I had not thought about it for at least a decade or more, until one morning driving Jackson to school.

Jackson’s mother and I are divorced which means his time is split between families, and that his drive to school when he is with me is 45 mins long (I drive another 1 hr back to work). I thought I would begrudge this time, but this has become one of my favorite times of the week. You see, my time with Jackson is limited and one on one time time more so. But those drives are 45 mins are a treasure. It’s not just the time spent though, it’s the questions that are asked.

My favorite questions to ask Jackson are “If you could ask daddy any question, what would you want to ask?” or “Jackson, what’s been on your mind, what are you thinking about?” I have to be on my toes because these questions can go anywhere. We talk about anything from handling bullies at school to the tallest mountain in the world. “OK Google” has become a go to phrase in the car. We ask google and get answers to how hot is lava, how large is our solar system, what is a black hole. His mind constantly pushing the boundaries of his world, his realm in which he lives. Daddy doesn’t know all the answers, but google know quite a few, at least the trivial ones.

Trivial information, for the most, part is useless. Information is simply a thing with no real life of its own. I guess that I agree with this, especially since I just wrote it, but I think there is more to it. In this Information Age in which we live, information has gone through hyper inflation where you need 15 gorillion (or some other large number) of information to buy a loaf of bread. All information seems the same, but really needs wisdom applied to it for it to be of any real value.

But this is not about wisdom, so I digress. There is a hidden value to information, even trivial information. This value is only revealed when we use information to connect with others. Sure, knowing that Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world is not, in and of itself, a world changer for me. But the pursuit of that knowledge was an adventure. An adventure not to be taken alone, but with my son. And it lead to more questions, and more adventure, and more questions, and more adventure. If only we could reach the top of that mountain of knowledge where all things are known and all the who, what, where, how, and whys are made clear.

But we’re not there yet. We are only 45 mins up the side of that tall mountain. And next week, 45 mins more. But don’t tell Jackson this, at least not yet. It is not really about reaching the summit of knowledge. It is about 45 mins of relationship with my son. And next week, 45 mins more.