Yesterday we went to the Winter Park Christmas parade. Well, we went to breakfast as we usually do, ate, read the paper, talked with folks, and then walked outside to watch the parade for a bit.
The parade is always lots of fun. It's one of those parades that it seems like every person with a kid, a wagon or a dog can march in. I've told several people that it lasted ten hours but it really didn't. Only two-three hours.
I do tend to exaggerate. I like to exaggerate. I've said to Dave, "If anybody ever tries to put me in an MRI, just shoot me." But I don't actually want him to shoot me. I just don't want to suffocate in an MRI. Sometimes I say "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse." But I couldn't - and I wouldn't, even though it looks like the government might lift restrictions on slaughtering horses for human consumption.
When I exaggerate I'm using hyperbole. One of the features of hyperbole is that what is said is not logically possible.
But I'm in good company when I use hyperbole. None other than Jesus used it extensively when he was walking among us. He said things like "get the log out of your own eye," or "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off," or "If you have enough faith and say to a mountain, 'be lifted up and thrown into the sea' it will be done."
Jesus is telling the truth - but using hyperbole. We need to take his words seriously but not literally.
So when I say it's raining cats and dogs. You know what I mean.
***
The parade is always lots of fun. It's one of those parades that it seems like every person with a kid, a wagon or a dog can march in. I've told several people that it lasted ten hours but it really didn't. Only two-three hours.
I do tend to exaggerate. I like to exaggerate. I've said to Dave, "If anybody ever tries to put me in an MRI, just shoot me." But I don't actually want him to shoot me. I just don't want to suffocate in an MRI. Sometimes I say "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse." But I couldn't - and I wouldn't, even though it looks like the government might lift restrictions on slaughtering horses for human consumption.
When I exaggerate I'm using hyperbole. One of the features of hyperbole is that what is said is not logically possible.
But I'm in good company when I use hyperbole. None other than Jesus used it extensively when he was walking among us. He said things like "get the log out of your own eye," or "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off," or "If you have enough faith and say to a mountain, 'be lifted up and thrown into the sea' it will be done."
Jesus is telling the truth - but using hyperbole. We need to take his words seriously but not literally.
So when I say it's raining cats and dogs. You know what I mean.
***
