Goals in sight
If a long-term goal is already in sight, it is still a long and confusing way to achieve it. Yet, staying on track becomes a real challenge when too many of its aspects pile up. In this case, the lack of structure and understanding becomes an unsolvable challenge. Hence, one can quickly feel overwhelmed and lost.
In such situations, it’s essential not to lose motivation though things often seem hopeless because, in many cases, this would mean giving up on something you value. Instead of blaming yourself one day for what you did not even tried, a simple break might be the better alternative. As it allows you to get a distant view of the goals you already have, it can eventually bring you back on track.
This picture shows the view of St. Peter’s Square and Via della Conciliazione seen from the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. You can enjoy the city from this perspective if you climb your way to the top of the dome. Usually, the square is full of tourists but because of the pandemic, there were still many travel restrictions and therefore, Rome and also the Vatican were quite empty. I have visited this basilica in July 2021 while I was staying in Rome, Italy.
The German poet Goethe did the same 1786:
“Lastly we ascended the roof of the church, where one finds, in little, the plan of a well-built city,—houses and magazines, springs (in appearance, at least), churches, and a great temple, all in the air, and beautiful walks between. We mounted the dome, and saw glistening before us the regions of the Apennines, Soracte, and toward Tivoli, the volcanic hills,—Frascati, Castel-gandolfo, and the plains, and, beyond all, the sea. Close at our feet lay the whole city of Rome in its length and breadth, with its mountain palaces, domes, etc. Not a breath of air was moving, and in the upper dome it was (as they say) like being in a hothouse. When we had looked enough at these things, we went down, and they opened for us the doors in the cornices of the dome, the tympanum, and the nave. There is a passage all round, and from above you can take a view of the whole church and of its several parts. As we stood on the cornices of the tympanum, we saw beneath us the Pope, passing to his midday devotions. Nothing, therefore, was wanting to make our view of St. Peter’s perfect. We at last descended to the area, and took, in a neighbouring hotel, a cheerful but frugal meal, and then set off for St. Cecilia’s…”
Thanks for sharing, I did not know that one 🙂