Once, long ago, when it first came out, I saw the movie The Dark Crystal (1982). Recently, after reading a science fiction book that mentioned the movie, I borrowed the movie from my local library.
I vaguely remembered the movie, and I am aware of its influence on the fantasy genre, but what hit me most about seeing the movie again was the character Kira. How I visualize the female lead in my current project is strongly influenced by Kira. I had not realized that.
What we are and the ideas we have are a product of our experiences, even if we do not remember the details of those experiences.