There was a delightfully hopeful young man loaded with gifts outside the middle school last week. He had music playing, a half dozen red roses, a stuffed animal and some candy.  I watched him out of the corner of my eye while I leaned against a pole in the weak fall sunshine and waited for my daughter to come out of the school.

The 850 students of the students seemed to exit in big waves. The first rush of kids eager to be done with school for the day piled out. Then the second, third waves hit and my daughter came out in the fourth. I pointed out the young man with flowers and she said, “He’s waiting to ask someone out.”

But still, the young man stood there, his intended recipient had not yet arrived. My daughter and I went in to check on something in the office. When we came out, he was still there waiting. Other students seemed to be sticking around just to see what happened.

We stuck around a little longer. After about six or seven waves of students piling out, the flow trickled down to just a couple here and there. My heart was beating loudly as I imagined the almost unbearable weight of suspense juxtaposed with his careful planning but the music was still playing and his expression was calm.

My daughter and I finally turned toward the parking lot to leave. We’d gotten about fifty feet when a huge cheer exploded in the crowd – she’d finally arrived. And she must have said, “yes!”

I’ve been pondering a quote that I recently heard a quote from filmmaker Jimmy Chin (director of films like Free Solo, Meru and Everest: The Other Side which was just released).

There are two great risks in life – risking too much and risking too little. They both have extraordinary costs. – Jimmy Chin

It strikes me that those risks come in all shapes and sizes. Asking someone out in middle school definitely qualifies. And from the smiles we saw on the young couple’s faces as we drove past them in the car, I’m so glad it paid off.