Kriyath Shma and prayer embody the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven, with prayer also being service and devotion to G-d. Man, because of his human dimension, must be attentive to the proper service of G-d. So their activities shouldn't be described as true service of G-d, the way a human being's is. From all of the above opinions, we learn that prayer is supposed to be done in the way that a person beseeches another to give him what he needs.
Independence is the goal, and is highly valued.
On one level this is very true. But on a deeper level, independence can isolate people from each other. When we think of the maximum dependence that exists between two people, it would be the dependence of the fetus on the mother while in her womb. This is also the closest, most intimate relationship that can exist between two people. After the baby is born, the dependence is lessened, although it is still great, while the distance increases.