Perspective: Death and the Miser

I really wish everyone in this sub would spend five minutes looking at Hieronymus Bosch's Death and the Miser at the National Gallery of Art in DC. The painting shows a dying man surrounded by gold, possessions, and all the things he spent his life chasing. Death has already entered the room. An angel points him toward a crucifix while demons tempt him with one last glance at his treasure. The man is by no means evil, just conflicted by the temptations and cares of life (like all of us). The question isn't whether he's rich. The question is what he reaches for when everything else is being taken away. I'm not posting this as some anti-money sermon. Make money. Build wealth. Invest. Take calculated risks. But every now and then it's worth asking whether you're using money or money is using you. WSB spends a lot of time talking about lambos, yachts, 10-baggers, and generational wealth. Bosch's painting asks a much older question: if Death walked into the room tonight, what would you reach for first? It's a surprisingly useful perspective when you're staring at a brokerage account.