Dear Ms. Lewinsky:
As a woman who is ten years older than you, I will be presumptuous enough to give you a little advice. Any of these suggestions are optional but the last one.
1) Go to graduate school. Become a nurse, or a scientist, or an architect. Do NOT become a lawyer, a journalist or a politician. Do NOT go into show business, unless you’re going to be a producer or part of the crew.
2) Immerse yourself in your Jewish heritage/religion. Or some other religion.
3) Get involved in some little-publicized charity work.
4) Stay out of the public eye as much as possible. Change your name, if you see fit. But whatever happens, refuse to give any interviews on anything regarding former President Clinton and the scandal created by the two of you.
Why should you do these things? By immersing yourself in taking care of, building or studying something for you, you can carve out a new reputation for yourself, instead of being constantly saddled with the old one. Accomplish something. Make a difference, a positive one. Why should you do it out of the glare of the public eye? Your name and your face are imprinted on the American public, possibly the world. It will be some time before you can be taken seriously, but it will happen faster if you become a private person.
If you don’t take this advice, your life will become more lonely and painful than it likely already is. I assume that you would like to get married and have children someday. What good man will want to marry a woman, when he is constantly reminded that she has been used most infamously as a human ashtray?
As it is, it will still take a special guy to love you, even if you do take my advice or follow your own path toward the same end, advice number four. However, I do believe in the power of redemption. Undoubtedly, there’s a guy out there for you who does as well. All you have to do is step out of the harsh spotlight and onto the redemptive path.
Let the former president have his say. What should you say? “No comment.”
I hope you take this letter in the spirit in which it is meant.
All the Best to You,
J. Ochieng
