Thoughts on the word "busy".

A few years ago, I asked someone if they wanted to get coffee over winter break with me. I was working at a college at the time and I was also a student, working on my doctorate.
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Winter break was 4 WEEKS LONG.
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The person told me no, that they were too busy.
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Okay okay.
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Maybe they were too busy.
Maybe they just didn't want to be my friend.
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Both are allowed.
I get it. I'm not for everyone.
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But that conversation stuck with me and, admittedly, it hurt my feelings. I never forgot it.
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I stepped out of my office that day and told my colleague, David, the story right away. I told him that this person I was trying to be friends with told me they were too busy to have coffee when I gave them a 4 week time frame.
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He said to me, "anyone that doesn't have time for a cup of coffee with you isn't anyone I'd want to be friends with anyways."
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And then we made our way to the Keurig, brewed ourselves each a cup, and sat at the conference room table and talked for an hour.
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I never forgot that part of the story either.
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I have a hard time when people respond to the question "how are you" with the word "busy". It makes me feel alone. Like I shouldn't have bothered them by asking. It's something I'm working on.
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When I ask someone "how are you", I REALLY want to know the answer.
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Here some other thoughts I have around being busy:
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Don't wear busy as a badge of honor.
You have time for what you make time for.
Your self worth is not tied to how much you are accomplishing.
Maybe chill, is the new busy.
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Trade your busy life for a full one.
Invest in people who invest in you.
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Make time for coffee dates (even if they don't involve coffee and are virtual).
Make time for one another.
Especially right now.
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Cheers and hugs.
xxoo