Ex Atheists, why did you take U turn

I used to be a hardcore Atheist. I am an ardent Shaivite now. Anyone with a similar story. What made you abandon atheism?

Edit: Why I became an Atheist: I was afflicted with a Chronic Autoimmune disorder at a young age. My parents did some random rituals and religious stuff instead of seeking medical guidance. This made me abandon the entire belief system my parents taught me.

Why I became a Shaivite: I realised Atheism is just a synonym for materialism. I read Thevaram, Thiruvasagam and Thirupugal out of my own volition. These texts are simply tagged as religious books, I felt they're philosophies of self and consciousness. Shaivism made me realise that everything is a single unit and consciousness is beyond materialism.