Affinities: Genetics, Coincidence, or What?

A recent blogger here mentioned something about research findings that make your hair stand on end. I'm wondering how many people have a particular affinity for something, especially historically-speaking, and then later discover in genealogical research that their ancestor was involved in what you show an affinity for. I don't mean talent, like in music or art or something.

Here's an example. Since I was kid, I always liked and felt strongly about the events in the book and movies "The Last of the Mohicans" by James Fenimore Cooper. Decades later, I discover that I actually had direct ancestors who were at Fort William Henry and survived. Remember the famous "chase scene" when Natty Bumpo (Hawkeye), Uncas, and Chingachgook chase down Magua to try to rescue Cora and her sister, Alice? The inspiration for that scene was the true kidnapping by Native Americans of two sisters and their companion, the daughter of Daniel Boone and the subsequent chase to retreive them by Boone, the girls' father, and others. Research reveals that I had ancestors who were among the party of rescuers. So...affinity, group memory, coincidence, Jungian consciousness, or what?

D you enjoy books and movies about the Civil War? Do you have ancestors who fought in it? What about historical books and movies about England, Ireland, Scotland? Are these in your family roots? Do you like the deserts, despite the heat and the dryness? Did you have ancestors who lived there?

I'd love to hear your stories of "seemingly unexplained" affinities or aversions to things that you later discovered were part of your heritage.