Jeff Sedevic, 27 June 2008

I met Jeff, Chris, and Lisa Sedevic in May 2007 when they came on tour to Japan. I was blessed to be their guide for two weeks around Honshu. All 3 of them instantly won me over, and they would be my companions for the next two weeks. I was able to develop a special relationship with each individual, and spend lots of time with them alone as well as with others.

Jeff was one of the most positive, optimistic, genuine people I’ve been lucky enough to meet. There are so many moments with him in Japan that I’ll never forget. He was always so generous, and always inviting me to stuff, and expressed gratitude with such honesty. Every day during the tour he thanked me for the great day – even on free days when I wasn’t doing much guiding, he would say that my explanations of the free time options were making their time great. I remember in Nikko and Takayama he said that he would love to come back and spend a few weeks in each place just walking around the hills and exploring the area at a more leisurely pace. He loved the sushi in Hiroshima. He loved red wine. We were in Hiroshima at The Shack, playing pool, and we talked just the two of us about life and what we each, as individual human beings, had an obligation to do – to pursue what we loved and to live with purpose. He certainly did that.

I am grateful that I had already had a trip planned to Australia. Tasmania wasn’t on my itinerary but meeting the Sedevics, I decided to change my route – not only would I be able to visit one of the most beautiful areas of Australia, I would be able to see this wonderful couple again.

I arrived in Launceston in July 2007 and spent 5 days with Jeff and Chris. Even at home, he retained his jovial, directed nature. The days I spent in Tasmania were a highlight of my trip to Oz. I got to spend lots of time with each of them alone, as well as the two of them together. Their breathtaking location on the isolated east coast of Tasmania combined with Chris’s culinary abilities, Jeff’s love of red wine, and their shared love with mine of cheeses was a combination I haven’t experienced often. King Island yogurt and cheese…this was the epitome of it all.

We were able to visit some of Tasmania together and though we encountered rain, the journey to the waterfall and the stop at a farm making cheese was so memorable. Whenever Chris and I went off on our own, we’d get back to the property and Jeff would be out working, with Yuki in tow. He’d come greet us with a big smile and ask about our excursion.

I really can’t believe that he’s gone. I hate to sound patronizing or pretend that I was a big part of their life, considering the short length of time since I met them, as well as the short amount of time we’d spent together. What I can say with honesty though, is that I really believed that there would be many more times that we would spend together – we lightly discussed a big road trip across Australia, and certainly discussed them coming back to Japan.

I hope that the Sedevics do remain a part of my life, and from here on forward anytime we are together in body or spirit, we are sharing our love and experience with Jeff and will always remember him with pure hearts.