As you walk past that same fence you've walked past a hundred times before, notice how it's aging. It degrades over time. Now consider the family pets you've shared your home with over the years. They've lived their lives and are now gone. And here you are, still alive, a witness to the passing of time. A witness to the truth that nothing lasts forever.
We find ourselves strongly attached to our habits and possessions. And because of our attachments, we feel a sense of anxiety and despair when we realize that one day these things will be taken from us. This is especially evident when we consider that we will one day lose the very thing that we are most attached to; the most precious thing of all - our own life.
How can one minimize one's sense of loss? Perhaps the solution comes only in this - the realization and acceptance that all things come to an end. Try to relieve yourself of strong attachments. Remind yourself of the passing of time. Next time you walk past that fence, look closely as it deteriorates, smile, and let it go.