Michigan

Michigan State Flag (Flagpedia)

The Michigan State Capitol sits in the middle of the 11-acre Capitol Square in Lansing. It serves as the seat of the Michigan Legislature and also houses the Michigan Governor’s office. Designated a National Historic Landmark, it was completed in 1879.

Learn more about this building at the Michigan State Capitol website and how to plan your visit.

Located in downtown Lansing, driving around is straightforward, and street parking is usually easy for a small fee.

I’ve made numerous visits to Lansing to see my uncle, who lived there for many years just off Michigan Avenue, the road leading up to the State Capitol.

Ironically, despite all those years, we never toured the capitol until after he moved to West Virginia. During a month-long stay in Pittsburgh, he met me there so we could road trip back for our first-ever Michigan State Spartans game.

It was in a stairwell at this capitol building that I truly saw the power of transformation.

A few years earlier, my uncle had been obese and was told he would die unless he made a change. He had severe health problems and was barely able to walk. Stairs were out of the question.

So, he decided on gastric sleeve surgery, which, given his mobility issues, was a decision I fully supported. Following his doctors’ directions closely, he successfully lost 200 pounds and has largely kept it off to this day. The weight loss reversed many of his health problems and allowed him to walk again.

We decided to visit the capitol first thing on Friday, 2 September 2022, so we could eat lunch with some of his friends then visit campus before the season opener that evening.

As we went through the building, I started up some stairs and expected him to find an elevator to meet me. Nope—he started up the stairs with me. My uncle, who at one time could barely walk, was not only climbing stairs, he took them like a champ and ended up at the top not even winded.

After witnessing that, I became convinced anyone can transform their life. This is why I started Annie All Around: not only to share my love of travel, but also to show that change is possible. My uncle did it. I did it after cancer. What’s your excuse?

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