How long should a person be away from their family? How long is too long?

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My mother-in-law has not seen her family in many years. Her birth mother died when she was very young. She lived in New Jersey then at that time. My mother-in-law is now 58 years of age. She has an aunt and an brother that is still living. She said that most of her family is dead. Which ones I am not all that sure of. But I believe that she is referring to her immediate family. She has been in South Carolina for over 34 to 36 years. And since then she has not seen her family in New Jersey. They don't even come and visit her, for the ones that can. Her aunt and brothers were supposed to come down to visit about three years ago, but they never came. My mother-in-law is very lonely. I don't understand why her husband did not take the time to take her to New Jersey, or why her family that is living, could not come down to visit. Right now my mother-in-law only communicates with a few great women friends. I am included as well. She talks to her son and her oldest daughter. But her other three children, she is not too fond of. But, she does talk with them, except for one of them. My father-in-law sisters visits most of the time to see him. My sister-in-law told me some years back, that the reason why her mom's family don't come to visit their mother is because they don't like her husband that she is married to. But my mother-in-law tells me that the reason why her aunt does not come down is because she does not like where she is living at. I think that is a lame excuse! How can someone not come to visit their surviving niece? If her aunt has not seen her in over 36 years, shouldn't she at least pay her niece a visit. My mother-in-law has not seen her niece in years. No one writes to her. Her aunt hardly calls. She told me that she don't want her aunt to have her home number... I guess because her aunt can be bold when she wants to be. I feel very sorry for my mother-in-law. It is very sad to see her so lonely. I can only fill her void to a certain extent, but she needs her family to come and see her.. She needs that. She told me that, she wants to go to visit her family in New Jersey in September before it gets real hot. I hope that this happens. It is sad to have spent so many years away from the only family that you know of before she got married. I just wonder can their family despise her husband so much that they don't come to see about their niece???