America will soon celebrate its 250th birthday, and while much of the national conversation will focus on major historical moments, famous documents and large-scale celebrations in places like Washington, D.C., some of the most meaningful celebrations are already happening much closer to home. In Richmond, children recently rode decorated bicycles covered in red, white and blue streamers through town while neighbors lined the streets to cheer them on. Nearby, judges sampled homemade fruit pies as families gathered around cornhole boards, visited with friends and spent a summer afternoon together celebrating both their community and country. The gathering itself was simple in many ways, but perhaps that is exactly the point. Residents came together not because there was a massive production or nationally televised attraction, but because they wanted to celebrate alongside one another. Children proudly showed off bicycles decorated in patriotic colors while judges awarded prizes in…