Fleeting Wealth: A Haiku About Money

Looking at the value of your investment holdings can be dangerous to your health.

one day I’m rich
but the next — 
poor again[1]

ある日富み お次の日には また貧しさ
aru hi wa tomi otsugi no hi ni wa mata mazushisa[2]

Having money invested in the stock market might be a smart move for financial health, but it can be more stressful if not careful.

I think the first rule of investing is don’t look at your balance. Well, maybe not the first rule, but one of them. Warren Buffett has said that if we believe in our investments, the day to day value shouldn’t make any difference and that we should in fact ignore it.

Easier said than done, eh?

I wrote the haiku the other day when I noticed one of my investment accounts had dropped by over $1000 USD. Far from “and now I’m poor”, but what is poetry if not dramatic, eh?

I am actually more of the Buffett mind and I wasn’t really that worried[3], It’ll bounce back (I hope). But I’ll take any inspiration for a haiku that I can get.