They say true happiness happens when meeting old friends after a long time and feeling nothing has changed.

Everybody shared the latest updates in their lives but we were particularly curious with what’s going on in the life of Cyd

That’s what I experienced last Thursday when I had dinner with my former De La Salle University teammates Majoy Baron, Dawn Macandili, Aby Marano, Kianna Dy, Alex Tan, Ara Galang, Kim Fajardo, Mika Esperanza and Cyd Demecillo.

Our team manager, Sir Eric Ongkauko, arranged the gathering so we can have a little catching up. Actually, we often meet during Philippine Superliga games, but since I’m no longer their teammate, sitting with them on one table just to take a trip down the memory lane was truly special.

Everybody shared the latest updates in their lives but we were particularly curious with what’s going on in the life of Cyd.

As we know, Cyd made a leap of faith by quitting volleyball to work as a flight attendant, a job most volleyball players are dreaming of having.

It was our first time to chat with her after a long while as her crazy schedule left her with very limited time for her family and friends. She gave us a sneak peek into the life of a flight attendant, including the long hours of travel, the lack of sleep and the very short layovers in different countries.

The way she narrated it, we concluded that it was such a tough job.

But knowing Cyd and her resilience in overcoming the odds and conquering her fears, I know that she can pull it off with flying colors.

We may be playing with different teams in the Philippine Superliga, but my friendship with my former De La Salle University teammates remains forever. I also just realized that we’re more than just teammates. We’re very good friends as well.

Fans may know us as the La Salle team that had a solid chemistry and winning attitude on the court. What they didn’t know is that that we’re sisters, especially off the court.

In fact, prior to the 2016 season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), we had a quick vacation in Cebu, where we spent time at a beach resort and enjoyed local delicacies.

We talked about that as student-athletes like we once were, vacation was a luxury due to our tight schedule in our academic and athletic careers. But we made it happen and we were able to book a trip even for just a weekend.

And what made it truly memorable was the fact that it was our last season in UAAP. It was a sweet farewell, so to speak.

Until now, that wonderful trip still lingers.

We want to repeat it as much as possible, but since we already have different careers and different priorities, I’m just glad that we still managed to dine out despite our very busy schedules

Having them as teammates really gave me a lot of lessons.

More than volleyball, I learned the value of friendship and camaraderie as well as respect for our elders like coaches and team managers.

I also learned to accept the weaknesses of one another and by using our strength, not to our advantage but to help others.

But the most important thing I learned from these bunch of girls is the value of becoming a team player.

I learned that you don’t only play and work for your own personal glory, but for the victory and welfare of the entire team.

That fateful Thursday night really brought a lot of happy memories. It was a nostalgic journey to all of our struggles, joys, friendship and unity that made us who we are today.