*Prayer is not just a pious practice. It is asking for spiritual help, inner strength and determination. Prayer changes the person who prays. It supports the efforts the person makes. If prayer can do so much in your life, it should become the central point in your life.

 Suresh was ready to leave for school. It was the first day of his final examination. He once again opened his bag to make sure everything was in order. The pens were there. The scale was there. The pencil and eraser were there. In his shirt pocket was a piece of paper containing all the important points to remember. He used this paper to make sure that he knew everything of the subject. There was just five minutes for the school bus to arrive. He went into the prayer room, folded his hands, closed his eyes and prayed. He prayed for strength to remember all that he studied. Then he came out, out bye to his parents and left for school.

 We also pray. We often go to God with a list our needs. We pray for good memory power. We pray for our win competitions. We pray for our parents. We pray for our friends. We pray for more comforts in our life. The list is endless.

 We also go to God to share our problems. We speak to him about our problems and concerns. We have our fears. A friend has not behaved properly. Father has not paid attention. Mother has not spoken. Brother has torn paper. Sister has dropped ink on books. We have so many things to share with God. We unburden ourselves before him.

 Sometimes we go to God just to enjoy his presence. There is no list of needs. There is no litany of complaints. We just sit and enjoy his presence. We praise him. We thank him for all the good things he has done to us.

 Whether it is placing the list of our needs or just enjoying his presence, we rush to him. We spend some time to pour out our heart to him. We want him to reassure us of his continued love and support. Our trust in him is absolute. We come out more confident, more composed and more powerful.

 Kavita was an ordinary girl. She went to school like anyone else. She was just average in her studies. She was not very talented. So she was not much known around. She knew what kind of person she was and so she kept to herself. Her life was just mechanical. She just lived from day to day. She helped her parents. She was a nice to her younger brother. Nobody had any complaints against her.

 When she was in class VII, a new teacher came to give them moral education. The teacher spoke to them about the importance of values in their lives. She explained to them about the need for leading a righteous life. She taught them to pray. It was a new experience for Kavita. Her parents did not believe in God. They were atheists. So she had no religious upbringing. For the first time someone told her about God and how to talk with him intimately.

 She followed the instructions given by the teacher. She began to experience deep peace and calm, as she began to pray. Her prayer life began too work on her. It gave her a new motivation and inspiration. She found a new meaning in her studies. Her person was affected by the prayer life. It gave her a new direction. It gave her a new purpose. Her behavior and attitude changed. This had its influence on her classmates. She also rose higher in rank in her studies and other activities.

 We pray every day. Perhaps it is mechanical. We just parrot out what we have learned by heart but it does not add anything to our life. It fails to impress us. It fails to influence our attitude and behavior.

 Speak to God in sincerity and humility. Make your prayer life meaningful. Then prayer begins to reflect on all events in your life. It makes you see various important aspects of your life, which normally escape your attention. You slowly change and the change becomes visible in your study and other activities. Your life becomes different.