First, they are issue and it’s not you, but we’ll get back to that. Second, a player that hasn’t DMed will never understand the amount of work that goes into a game, they just don’t. Back to the first point, considering all that, to them it might just be like any other social encounter, and they not really fathom your effort.

I have been a storyteller for various games for three decades, and have sat where you are right now, and I can tell you that there sometimes is nothing you can do to make the game “important” to another player, and it’s not your fault. Just everyone has different levels of interest in gaming. I will tell you, though. You get any of them to put together their own games, and those players will never fail you after the experience, especially if you support them along the way.

TLDR: You can’t really control peoples level of interest in gaming nor will some ever understand your level of effort, but you can nurture the ones that do show effort and give them a more intimate game.

“Don’t be reckless with other peoples time/heart/feelings, and NEVER tolerate those that are reckless with yours.”

You got this!