I am an Arsenal fan. Well, maybe more of a supporter. I am yet to reach the dizzying heights of fanaticism that lead perfectly sane men to bet away their houses (and even wives!) on the outcome of a ball-chasing encounter thousands of miles from them. That said, my support for the Gunners is just as real as the next guy.

You know what they say – Supporting Arsenal teaches you loyalty, patience, bigger picture thinking, endurance in the times of trouble. Ladies, best men to marry are Arsenal fans, because, the above.

But of all the things I’ve learned from watching Arsenal over the years, the one that stands out to me is the ‘today’ lesson. You see, being a believer in Arsenal and Wenger is akin to having a moody teenage child. You never know how they will wake up tomorrow, what they will do, whether they will still be on track with the direction they need to be in – it’s a jungle in there. As a result, we have learned the fine art of celebrating every moment of brilliance.

Arsenal fans are said to be the braggadocios of football fans, yapping about a positive result for weeks on end. Mistakenly, some people take this for pride. Far from it. What we have is an understanding of the moment. With an almost decade-long dearth of trophies, we got accustomed to celebrating every win as if we just won a trophy. When we win a game – whether it’s against Bradford or Manchester United – it is a cause for endless celebration. Because you never know when the next might come.

And it’s not just about football. Life (the full picture) is filled with losses and failures and unaccomplished dreams. I’ve found that when I’m not careful, these moments are apt at stealing away the rest of my life. Joy, hope, dreams get replaced by heavy, drooping shoulders, a bite-sized life with no zing in it, a day-in day-out existence with no grandeur. I’ve learned over the years that how I stay full of life is to celebrate every good moment as long as it takes me, and to never stop dreaming with every day I’m given.

The truth is, the only guaranteed time is now. Realizing this, the Psalmist prays in the 90th Psalm, asking God to teach us to number our days (to have an understanding of how brief our lives really are), so we would apply our hearts to wisdom (making the best of every day). You and I have been given the gift of today. We have a responsibility to make it worthwhile.

In the run-up to the Champions League match-up, my wife (a reluctant converted-by-marriage Arsenal fan) whistled at the record of our previous meet-ups with the aptly named Red Devils – a single win in our past 15 encounters. With such odds, who expects a win? But you know what happened? We won. I don’t know when that might happen again. But today, we won.

Did you win today? Celebrate! Was today a better day than yesterday? Rejoice! Are you alive this day? Be happy! Did you punch a hole in the devil’s schemes one more day? Praise! Let every moment you have be a celebration of the multitude of blessings you’ve been granted. When you start counting, you’ll realize there is more than enough to keep you grateful and excited for today.