Ruth lost her mum in 2020. For the last 6 years of her life she'd been living in Ruth's home, and they'd become very close. Writing these poems was a vital part of Ruth's grief journey, helping her to process the enormity of her loss and to work through her deep pain, finally coming to a place of acceptance, comfort, and healing. This book invites the reader to walk that road with Ruth, in the hope that it will be a help to them on their own path to healing. The book is divided into 4 main sections that correspond to the concepts of William J Worden's '4 Tasks of Grief', which Ruth found very beneficial on her healing journey. Each poem has been assigned to the 'Grief Task' that it fits best with. The title is taken from the phrase "Not lost, but gone before" - a reference to people going to heaven ahead of us.