I'm Busy

I get annoyed with people who say they got my phone call, text message, whatever but didn't return it because they were 'busy." Busy. When I get that, what I really hear is that "I got your message but it wasn't important enough to respond to because I have more important things to do and more important people to respond to than you." It's a blow-off. Friendships must be maintained, and if they aren't, they go away. Why are people so willing to let truly caring friends go because they can't be bothered to return a phone call or make a lunch date? I'm blessed with the friends I have yet I have lost some for this reason and it makes me sad.