This makes me think you misunderstand what it means. Funny that what you describe is closer to the meaning than your explanation of the rule itself. Here is an example. “Telling” would be to say “he was disheveled” — which is boring and dull. Showing would be to say “his shirt was torn and there was dirt on his face.”

Or as one writer put it, don’t tell me he was mean, let him kick the dog so I can see it for myself. That is showing instead of telling.

Often people spout the “rules” of writing without explaining them, and then they get passed around backwards. Language is imperfect because of interpretation, but it’s all we have.