Books · 1855
Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?
— Robert Browning · Andrea del Sarto

Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
Here the point is that aiming past what you can currently achieve is what gives life its purpose. If people only reached for what they could hold, there would be no need for a heaven, so falling short becomes a sign of worthwhile ambition.
Context reviewed