Friday 2 August 2013

What the HAHA is Ani on about?


HAHA is a universally recognised symbol of laughter. We’ve all enjoyed the benefits of a good, spontaneous HAHA, as our eyes crinkle at the corners, our mouths stretch into gleeful smiles and our ribs jerk in an uncontrollable fit of mirth. Yes, it is unquestionable – HAHA is good for you!


If you look anything like the pictures above - high five! You, my friend,  are a HAHA natural!

Admit it – you love a good HAHA. Cast your mind back. When was your last, good, hearty HAHA? Was it this morning, when you looked outside your window and happened to see the yellow-black-blur of motion that is a giant banana being chased by a gorilla (Yes - that has happened http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anmJbCyAh04)?

Perhaps you could't muffle a HAHA when your great-uncle shared one of his favourite, cringe-inducing jokes at the last family gathering you attended (What goes HAHA bonk? A man laughing his head off!)?

Ladies (perhaps the odd gentleman too), do you HAHA in mild agony when you recall THAT time when a rogue gust of wind caused you to experience a wardrobe malfunction a-la-Marilyn Monroe, resulting in your lacy underwear being revealed to a larger audience than you had originally planned? It seems safe to conclude that, irrespective of its source or cause - a HAHA moment, is a happy moment. 

This is why I have chosen ‘HAHA’ as the name for the very lovely new project I’m launching. HAHA is a cunning acronym for ‘Help Another Human or Animal’ – genius, I know. 


HAHA - Help Another Human or Animal! GENIUS, no? Applause welcome!
The concept is simple – laughter, being the best medicine, is an effortless way of helping others, so when next you see a human/animal in need, be a Dr. Do-Good and administer a large dose of tickles/spontaneous tap-dancing and/or knock-knock jokes immediately. If you are able to accomplish all three at once, you will certainly have earned your black belt in HAHA.

It is my sincere belief that we all get too disheartened and too despondent about the enormity of the challenges facing our world, and consequently fail to recognise the opportunities that arise every day to make a difference in the lives of the people we come into contact with. This difference may not be an earth-shattering, ground-trembling, foundation-shaking alteration in the course of someone’s life, but if it adds one more smile to one person’s day, it is still a positive contribution. I completely agree with that most incredible of ladies, Mother Theresa, when she said, “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you”. Phrased slightly differently by a wise warthog – “Hakuna Matata and HAHA.” I'm sure he said that. 



We may not singlehandedly be able to eradicate world poverty, starvation, disease, illiteracy, cruelty or suffering, but we can pick a humble little flower for someone we care about and give it to them as a surprise at the end of a long day. We can smile at the waitress who serves us our breakfast and we can take the time to thank the lady who cleans the public bathroom we use. We can choose to slow down in the never-ceasing whir we call daily life to greet the elderly gentleman walking past us in the street, stooped and wise and longing for some acknowledgement that he is still alive, that he is still valued.

When in doubt, be like this sloth. This sloth is the business.
I will be giving you ideas of somewhat bizarre but splendid ways in which you can be a HAHA ambassador, ranging from making money grow on trees (YES you CAN!), leaving love notes on strangers’ car windscreens (not creepy love notes, LOVELY love notes to inspire, motivate and enthuse), as well as teaching you the secret to making magical smiling chocolates that you can distribute like a modern-day Willy Wonka of wonderment (Oompa Loompas are not essential for the completion of this task, but if you have some handy, that’s fantastic and please let me know where I can recruit a few).

I will also be visiting as many charities and NGO’s as I can to give you an insight into the amazing work being done by people who take HAHA to the next level and do so on a permanent basis. These persons radiate the spirit of HAHA with such dazzling intensity that their halos practically light up the sky. They are the glowworms of our world, shining love out of their illuminated bottoms (metaphorically speaking) to remind us of the potential in each of us to bring light to even the darkest of our problems. I will be focused predominantly on organisations that care for children or promote literacy, as well as conservation iniatives that aim to lend a helping paw to our fuzzier brethren.

My aim in visiting these charities and writing about their work is simply to remind you that although humanity is faced with great challenges, there is also a great commitment to overcoming them. When we are reminded of the good that people are doing, we inevitably feel empowered to make a HAHA contribution of our own, no matter how small. All of our little chuckles can join to form a great roar of laughter that ripples across the world. 

Change the world, one chuckle at a time.

What I hope to convey to you is that HAHA should essentially be perceived as a personal matter – what makes you HAHA, and how do you enjoy spreading the HAHA magic? We cannot all work for a charity, we cannot all dedicate our lives solely to helping other humans or animals – yet this does not preclude us from being able to add a dash of delightfulness to the world we are immediately surrounded by. 

This is what HAHA sets out to do. Simply, and cheerfully, to make the lives of other humans (and animals) just that LITTLE bit better. 

xxxx Ani


Here is a very HAHA video where I explain things a little further, hopefully it will show you the wildly wonderful world that awaits you once you make HAHA a part of your daily life! Let me tell you a secret. Spreading a HAHA a day will make you shine like a sun ray! Do it and see for yourself!

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