I agree - Gene Roddenberry had an incredible vision for his universe. It's one that not only lasted the test of time (hurray 50 years!) - it's brought us space shuttles named Enterprise, communicators in the form of cell phones and more recently, replicators in the form of 3D printers.
Like you, what I loved about this world wasn't just aliens and spaceships but the camaraderie - crews working together to overcome incredible odds. While some people have this thing about Star Wars versus Star Trek, they're missing the point. Gene Roddenberry pictured a world where diversity was not only valued but celebrated as a way of bringing us together.
Thank you for your comment - I couldn't agree with you more!