This week I talk about the power of metaphor both in stories and in the human life. Starting out with the idea of vivid descriptions, I first talk about an author's ability to paint a picture that engages all the senses, rather than just telling what someone is doing or seeing or feeling. This goes back to the advice of "show, don't tell," but I think that it goes even beyond that. Metaphors, visualizations​, the ability to explain things in a way that engages how a person interacts with the world (through the senses) is directly connected to how we become close to other people. So, the idea of metaphor goes beyond writing and storytelling and helps us understand our lives on a deeper level. I hope that today's show and many shows to come allow you to view life differently and gain a better appreciation for the little things or even those things that are difficult. Here are the links to the different books and poems I reference in this episode: Steven Pinker's "The Sense of Style" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821371-the-sense-of-styleGabriele Lusor Rico's "Writing the Natural Way"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/143257.Writing_the_Natural_WayCharles Dickens' "Hard Times" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5344.Hard_TimesPhilip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep"https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7082.Do_Androids_Dream_of_Electric_Sheep_