After all these years of living in Lilburn, only in the past couple of years do I feel like a tourist in my hometown.

Accepting an early retirement package has freed up my time to really start exploring the local area and meeting the wonderful neighbors that also call the City of Lilburn home. 

My husband and I, along with our three small sons at the time, moved to Lilburn in 1992 when every other street corner was full of Georgia pines. Above the garage door entrance, the previous owner had felt compelled to post a wooden sign in the shape of a ribbon that stated "Home Sweet Country Home."

The wooden sign is gone now, and so are many of the massive groves of pine trees, but some of the sentiment remains.

One day, shortly after we moved in, I remember driving home from work and an entire forested area off of Five Forks-Trickum Road had been cleared and was littered with downed pine trees in preparation for a new subdivision being built.

"Progress," everyone called it.  There was smoke billowing from the multiple wood piles and yellow bulldozers crawling over the remnants of branches and leaves, and it made me sad to think that such a beautiful piece of Lilburn was lost to us forever. 

Now, here we are 18 years later, with a wonderfully diverse population, which has more than tripled and now has numerous beautifully landscaped subdivisions with gracious Southern-style homes.

Lilburn is home to one of the best school districts in the state, we have an organized economic development committee, an active local business association, and a community full of passionate volunteers who take action with a dedication that truly personifies the concept of "think globally and act locally."

I never ceases to amaze me how many activities and events are happening within just a few miles from home that span a wide variety of interests.

Wow, how things have changed.