You could have called me a celebrity junkie. It’s not a term I like, but on a typical lunch break at work you’d find me surfing the Internet to find articles about the latest pop singers or to get the skinny on celebrity romances. And if you tried to talk to me in line at the grocery store—forget it. I’d have my nose buried in the magazines at the checkout displays.

In conversation with friends, I would claim to know who was a better actress or singer, who was a real witch to work with on the movie set, who dressed the best. And sometimes I would whine to myself that my life didn't seem as polished as the lives of my famous “friends.”

Was I getting hooked on celebrity? Well, I sure didn't like how eagerly I snapped to attention when new entertainment headlines came up on my computer screen. And I was surprised by how caught up I was in examining people's flaws and choosing who to criticize.

It was dizzying, trying to keep up with all this information. Often by the time I was done with my "binge" I felt as if I'd eaten a whole bag of cheese curls.

But the worst part of these binges was the aftermath: my harsh and incorrect judgment not only of the celebrities, but also of myself. And my preoccupation with comparing myself to them began to whittle away time I wanted to spend focusing on what I was learning about my spiritual nature, my innate goodness as God’s child—a truth that applies to everyone.

I’m inspired by something Mary Baker Eddy wrote in her book, Science and Health: “Let us rid ourselves of the belief that man is separated from God, and obey only the divine Principle, Life and Love. Here is the great point of departure for all true spiritual growth.” It occurred to me that if I wanted to be obedient to Love, I could consciously protest any mean-spirited thoughts I was having about celebrities and their apparently flawless lifestyles. After all, I didn't really know who these people were, or what it was like to live a life under the microscope.