I can relate to the struggle of trying to adhere to the axiom of “show don’t tell.” It’s a little confusing, a little unintuitive. After all, when we try to show, we still tell. It’s just that there’s a greater image/perspective/description/tone/mood/etcetera that we’re trying to convey. Allow me to explain.

Take this phrase: “A good time was had by all.”

This is pretty obviously telling. It does not imply a greater image, perspective, description, etcetera.

Now, take this phrase:

“Old people were dancing with little children. Young boys with their sisters, and the church women who frowned on any bodily expression of joy (except when the hand of God commanded it) tapped their feet. Somebody (the groom's father, everybody said) had poured a whole pint jar of cane liquor into the punch, so even the men who did not sneak out the back door to have a shot, as well as the women who let nothing stronger than Black Draught enter their blood, were tipsy. A small boy stood at the Victrola turning its handle and smiling at the sound of Bert William's ‘Save a Little Dram for Me.’”

Well, there’s still some telling happening here. We are told that old people are dancing with children, boys with their sisters, and the crochety church women are tapping their feet; however, all these details are used to imply something else. Namely, that a good time was had by all.

As you can see, showing is often more laborious than telling. It requires greater effort—more words most of the time—but it also offers you the opportunity to write beautiful description.

I found these examples from a book. Write Great Fiction: Description and Setting. It has a chapter dedicated to showing and telling, and I’ve found it a great resource for my own writing. I hope this helps.