Anything you lose automatically doubles in value.

The line appears as one of several aphorisms in McLaughlin’s 1966 book "The Second Neurotic’s Notebook," presented as a humorous observation about how people perceive the importance of things only after they go missing.

It jokes that scarcity created by misplacing something makes it feel more valuable and urgent than it did when it was readily available.

A sense of humor is a major defense against minor troubles. It’s easier to part with a friend than an opinion. Anything you lose automatically doubles in value.