I watched my first Star Trek movie in 2009. I loved it and like most Star Trek fans my age, I fell in love with the reboot not the original. But, after watching the new Star Trek movies, I watched the original series and I loved it too. With the release of "Star Trek Beyond," the lessons of the original series are clear. Star Trek can teach us many things. Here are five lessons, I learned.

1. Unity is ALWAYS stronger than division.

In "Star Trek Beyond," Lieutenant Uhura points out the importance of unity and how the federation's strength is unity. Not only does this lesson apply to the fictional universe of Star Trek, but ours as well. When we work together we can accomplish just about anything, whereas when we work against each other we accomplish nothing. A lesson some of our politicians need to learn.

2. "Boldly go where no man has gone before."

The federation explores the unknown in order to promote peace, prosperity, and the advancement of the federation. In reality, we can benefit from this as well. Some of our best advancements in medicine, technology, language, mathematics, etc. has come from exploration of the unknown. In order to grow we must keep moving forward and the way to do that is to keep exploring, to keep adventuring, to keep going where no one has gone before.

3. Always help those in distress.

We have a moral duty to help those in need, no matter their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, etc. The federation realizes the sanctity of life and thus always answers distress calls (when they get them). We could benefit from learning this as well. The world would be a much better place if more people helped others when they can.

4. Everybody deserves the right to live as they want.

Everyone has the right to live and make their own choices. This is a lesson we need to work on.

5. There is no such thing as a superior species or race.

The federation works to ensure peace and unity among the federation planets through the promotion of equality of different species and races. It seems self-explanatory but the current state of our nation proves that it's not.

Just as the original series used action to teach valuable lessons so has the reboot. As expected "Star Trek Beyond" did not disappoint in action nor did it disappoint in the life lessons we all could stand to learn.

So, my trekies and non-trekies alike, live long and prosper.