Too Busy to Care

It is so insulting when someone apologizes for blowing it on a commitment and adds, "I've just been really busy."

We say "I've just been so busy" rather mindlessly, not realizing what it actually communicates to others.

Because the statement fails to acknowledge that other people also have busy lives, to me it says things like:

-- "I believe that I'm busier than you could ever be; I'm actually arrogant enough to believe that."
-- "I'm so busy I can't even comprehend that others must have busy lives, too."
-- "You are not as important as my schedule."
-- "I'm too busy to consider how important this is to you when I make a commitment."

The statement's use in this context must have been awakened in me after hearing a sermon about it. Since that day nearly a decade ago, I try very hard to remember that I am not uniquely busy and therefore must not use my own "busyness" as an excuse for irresponsibility. I certainly don't want to communicate to people that my schedule matters more than theirs does.