Hmm. I know that you do get "surf" a lot online, but you can use the skills you have to your advantage. If you can speak charismatically online you can meet people that way, and all of your social skills are within you. I don't know what it's like to be a parent or to be in your situation, but I do know that people generally are eager to meet new people in life with things to say, and you certainly gave that.
People my age can organise and arrange personal meetups often with phones and messaging. You can make it a strength. As people have suggested, group stuff and local social places have community sites and the like, it's not a question of getting a foot in the door, just that in person meeting. After the initial meetup you will rule with the text, with the online communication which we use, which means you actually have an edge over people who are awkward online, you'll know what to say and how to maintain communication better than most.
As far as the physical meeting with a person goes, you can only answer and do for yourself. Don't worry about the newness and things like that, you're a person just like the rest of us. You have personality and a lot to say, which is often a bigger problem then the chance and ice breaker moment of people you meet. I've got no doubt you can do it, just try to see it as your charisma meeting people and pulling comes from the mind. I know it's intimidating, I find it intimidating myself. But I think nearly all of us think that way. You just need to put your toe in the water and the rest will come to you, if you're just yourself it is literally only a matter of finding the sociable person and starting dialogue at the right moment.
![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
