So often we look at the day or the year or the life ahead of us and think we can’t make it. Whether we’re dealing with the normal difficulties of life or facing extraordinary challenges, so many of us believe we are weak if we ask for help.

But knowing when to ask for help is really a sign of strength. And knowing when to accept help from an unexpected source can mark the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

On October 11 at a cross-country meet in North Dakota, a runner from one high school team stopped to assist an injured competitor from a rival school. I’m not sure what it says about our society that this story has received nationwide attention. I hope it says we want to celebrate the good in humanity and not that such stories are so few and far between that they stand out as extraordinary.

Danielle LeNoue, a runner from Fargo South High School, felt a pop in her knee as she neared the end of the race. She tried to continue walking to the finish line, but the pain was so severe she was unable to do so. After Danielle dropped to the ground, she said a number of runners went right past her.

Who could blame them? They were in the zone. They were on a mission. Perhaps this race represented the culmination of a career or the opportunity to finish with a personal best time. Some of the runners undoubtedly wondered if they should stop. Maybe they weren’t worried about their personal statistics. Maybe they believed it was against the rules to stop. Maybe they figured it was someone else’s responsibility. Maybe they didn’t stop because they had no idea what to do next.

But one runner stopped without thinking about the cost. Melanie Bailey, a competitor from Devils Lake High School, saw another person in pain and wanted to help. Melanie carried Danielle across the finish line. Both local and national reports tout the story as an example of good sportsmanship. But I think the story shows us so much more than the deeper meaning of sports.

It shows us that at any moment, we may be confronted with an opportunity to help or to accept help from another person. We will face a choice to do the right thing or a difficult thing in a moment that may be inconvenient or frightening or dangerous for us. How we respond reveals much about our true character.

Perhaps you are thinking that you are just one person. Perhaps you are wondering what difference one person can make. You may not have many opportunities to take actions that benefit the entire world. However, making a difference in one person’s life—as Melanie did for Danielle—is sometimes all we are called to do. Sometimes, simply showing that we care is more than enough to build a friendship.

Have you ever been faced with an unexpected opportunity to help someone? Did you take that opportunity? Would you make a different choice today?