how do i pray?

last month, we had an interesting article in one of our magazines..."in conversation with God"... and the writer asked some people what is the one question that each would ask had they met God... i found the idea fascinating.
a similar ring was there in "Palace of Desire", by Naguib Mahfouz, where one of the characters waits to pray only when he is alone since for him, praying is a process in which the heart, spirit and intellect are all involved... lofty idea, and puristic thought for me since i am not one of those who can follow any laid-down norms, something in which i did not have an involvement, prayer included...
i pray silently, whenever i want, without making ANY show of it since for me it is extremely private... it is just between the creator and me... no one needs to know that i am praying...
one thing i have wondered at is: how many pious people are actually good human beings? means do all pious people go out of their way to help someone in distress? i have my doubts... since many of them, i have seen, do not bother to have a kind word even, let alone help monetarily... though again charity should be a private thing... there is no point in doing charity and shouting about it from the roof top...
for me, prayer is something that should help in the evolution of the self... if that is achieved, a lot is.