Topic: Small things, Big influence

So I've been engaging in some existential introspection and trying to find the threads of motivation that have come to colour the tapestry so woven to form my life (because what else would you do on a Sunday?). Why do I like the things I like? What makes me eat the crusts of pizzas before the rest of it? Why do I like to pretend to be a carrot (sometimes, I'm not crazy)? Less of a Freudian approach, although perhaps incorporating more of Henry Murray's system of psychogenic needs, I started to delve deep into my memories and began to find small things or actions that were performed by others that, looking back to now, had a profound impact on how I identify myself (in the non-metaphysical sense). By small, I mean seemingly inconsequential, at least to the person that performed them. Some (as I) could probably point to their parents slaving away on multiple jobs to provide for the family as something that shaped their value perception or their working-ethos without it being an intention of their parents but surely their effort was no small thing (unless you're Super Stoic, the hero with the power of super seriousness). Perhaps an example will help.
When my aunt started dating the man she would eventually marry, he would occasionally come over to see the family (I come from an odd country where we had a massive house that was shared by some of the family, so my aunt and grandparents lived together with my parents, too complicated to explain here). Anyway, after a couple of visits, he started bringing his PlayStation along with him, so he could play with the kids. Ask him about it today and he laughs it off as just something he thought would be nice to share, but it was those very play sessions that got me obsessed with everything PlayStation related. That simple act exposed me to Resident Evil, Tekken and Mortal Kombat. That very uncle guided me as 10 yr old to finishing Resi 1, 2 and 3, along with Dino Crisis 1 and 2 before eventually getting my own system and setting out on my own. Now, I'm sure I would have got into video games anyway, but the way he introduced them to me and the way we played together have had a significant impact on the way I see games and indeed, how I play them. I probably wouldn't have become such a completionist or trophy hunter if we hadn't stayed up till 2 in the morning together trying to find secret weapons and cheats or collecting every single collectable.
Another shorter example: another uncle of mine once forgot a Linkin Park album at my house (Meteora), but decided to leave it for me when he realised. Listened to it when I had nothing else to listen to, became obsessed with Linkin Park and eventually got into rock when everyone else around me was getting deeper into rap and hip-hop. Now I tend to be way more open to musical genres (from rap to classical or alt) than any of my other siblings and I can't help but think I may never have started on that path if I had stuck to just rap and not listened to every song on that LP album. I might have won more high school rap battles but I may never have appreciated how amazing Typhoon is. It opened up my eyes to whole genres.
The gist is this: can you think of any small things people did for/to you that have had a profound impact on what you like/do/think? I think it would be a good way to get to know the community a bit more (obviously no personally identifying information). Add some backstory to your avatar.
P.S. I eventually got much better at rap battles (for those of you who began to picture a school where social status was determined by fierce rap battles a la 8 mile and were worried I became an outcast after too many losses). Also Praise Batman

@ShadowofSparta: Rap battle lesson

"(I come from an odd country where we had a massive house that was shared by some of the family, so my aunt and grandparents lived together with my parents, too complicated to explain here)."

Hey Charlie Bucket hows the family?
Your mums your dads sister interwovenly. You cant explain who your aunty is, coz willy wonkers banged your family tree full of jiz.

"I eat the crusts before the base"

Your all twisted, your madness aint stoppin, eating dry crust before you eat the the topping. Weird thing to boast yeah? Time for you to get a bath, with the toaster.

"That very uncle guided me as 10 yr old to finishing Resi 1, 2 and 3, along with Dino Crisis 1 and 2"

I get the impression your uncle hates ye, a good uncle would of shown you Ridge Racer, A 40year old dude showing you his playstation. You really sure it was the aunty he was dating?

Only joking bud, keep up the rap battling. One of my hobbies too.

My avatar represents the first game/system I owned. Back in the day, my grandparents bought me a Master System with Alex Kidd built in. It was all downhill from there.

Away from gaming, I can remember a couple of sentences spoken by a friend as throwaway comments, but they really stuck with me and I tend to apply them in my day to day, to help with a decision, or whenever I have a problem.

"It's not what you do some of the time, but what you do most the time that counts"
"Never fill in the blanks, as you will end up with nothing to surprise you" (in relation to planning life)

Sage advice indeed

My grandad sat me down in his spare bedroom and set up this huge cinema style projector, complete with old reels and a big projector screen and put on this film called Star Wars. I must have been 3 maybe 4 but I can clearly remember it. So I almost saw it on the big screen. That kicked off a love of films that I have had for the rest of my life...