Prayers - why do I?

There have been several occasions in my life when I have been asked 2 questions –

1. What is the need for prayers or prarthana?
2. Why do I pray?

Out of curiosity, I did a short introspection and here are my findings. Most major religions in the world involve prayer in one way or another in their rituals. Prayer is considered to be an integral part of the Hindu way of living. The Gita and the Vedas play a vital role in Hinduism in the rituals of prayers. The chanting of mantras is the most popular form of praying in Hinduism. The word ‘Prarthana (prayer) is derived from 2 words - ‘pra’ & ‘artha’ meaning pleading fervently.

• In other words, Prayer includes respect, love, pleading and faith and involves asking The Lord for something with intense yearning. 
• The words used in prayer may take the form of intercession, a hymn, chanting words of gratitude, or a spontaneous utterance in the person’s praying words.
• Praying is done in public, as a group, or in private and has different forms which include prayers reflecting praise, requesting guidance or assistance, confessing sins or an expression of one’s thoughts and emotions.

In addition to these conclusions, I wish to offer my own thoughts on why I pray:

1. Prayer is my first resort rather than my last resort to ensure God always guides me, not by preventing problems for me but by providing solutions for the problems constantly.
2. Through a prayer I wish I succeed in expressing my helplessness and thus endow the task for help to God.
3. I pray for wisdom and guidance through the maze of life that is always sidetracked with a lot of distractions and diversions. 
4. I pray to build bonds with Him in good times rather than run to Him only as bad times.
5. I pray so that I get to know God better and request for an altruistic relationship with all.
6. I pray to ask for strength to overcome trying times. 
7. I pray because when there is no crutch, prayers offer me solace and the belief that my words for help will be heeded.
8. Another reason for me to pray is for the purpose of repentance.
9. Praying permits me to seek God's help the purpose of my life. I think one of the most important purposes of prayer is to bring my will into synchronized correspondence with God’s will.
10. After all, hope keeps the world alive. My hopes lie in the strength of my prayers in the language that I do not understand but which I find pleasing to my ears – Sanskrit.