'' ! ROBERT REDFORD'S ROSES ! '' : BLESSINGS & OVATIONS

HOW ROBERT REDFORD SAW DEATH : AS he was a deeply private person, I am reluctant to share too much of what was said that day. But I can tell you this :

HE did not obsess over death. It was all quite simple to him. Life was the ultimate gift and you should live and fight for every day till your last.

When he laid his head down at night, all he needed to know was that he had given everything he had to all that he loved. His dear and treasured family; the many jobs and charities he worked so hard for.

His friends and community; his beloved animals and the natural world. As long as you gave them everything you had you could be confident meeting whatever is waiting for you on the other side.

The last time I saw Bob was two years ago, on the night of my 50th birthday. My family had taken me to Santa Fe, N.M., for the weekend and fortunately he and his beloved partner Bylle, were in town.

WE drove down the long high desert road to their house and after hugs and hellos our family's favorite  Redford stories started to flow :

The way Bob and my toddler son would compete for the best doughnuts at the craft service table on set every morning; how he loved to charm my beautiful wife with his amazing Paul Newman stories, while of course always remaining the ultimate gentleman.

The time he somehow arranged for a doctor at midnight in Paris to check in on my young daughter who had fallen ill while she was accompanying us on a promotional trip.

As the evening grew deep into the night, Bob finally nudged me and looked across the coffee table at my teenage son, who was starting to nod off.

With his signature dry wit, Bob said, '' Look at this kid - he wants to get the hell out of here.''

With that we all stood up and made our way to the door. As we trailed behind, Bob stopped me and looked right into my eyes.

As he stood there on his fragile knees he seemed to know that this would probably be the last time we would ever see each other.

He also knew I was no longer the fresh-faced, eternally optimistic young filmmaker he had gone on that crazy creative journey with a decade of summers ago.

The harsh realities of our ever changing business had surely seen to that. I finally tried to put him at ease and responded, '' I am OK, Bob.''

He smiled that wonderful smile, then looked away across the room at our families saying their final goodbyes.

He then pulled me in for a last hug and whispered in my ear, '' Don't you worry, you have a lot more stories to tell.''

Bob, I thank you from all of us for the chance you gave us to witness an epic life lived.

The World Students Society thanks J.C. Chandor - who wrote and directed the films. '' Margin Call,'' '' A Most Violent Year '' and '' All Is Lost,'' which starred Robert Redford.