Dolly Parton wrote it about a professional breakup, not a personal one.
When Parton wrote it in 1973, it was as a farewell to her mentor, producer, and longtime duet partner, Porter Wagoner, with whom she never had a romantic relationship. Wagoner was reluctant to have her go solo, to say the least. "It's saying, 'Just because I'm going don't mean I won't love you. I appreciate you and I hope you do great and I appreciate everything you've done, but I'm out of here,'" Parton told CMT. "And I took it in the next morning. I said, 'Sit down, Porter. I've written this song, and I want you to hear it.'... And he was crying. He said, 'That's the prettiest song I ever heard. And you can go, providing I get to produce that record.' And he did." She even sang it on one of her last appearances on Wagoner's TV show in 1974.
more at link: https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/12-things-didn-t-know-always-love-192744564.html
This was part of a program called "Greatest Country Feuds". It features interview clips from Dolly, Porter and Patty Loveless. The most interesting thing about this is an interview clip from the mid 70s after Dolly left Porter, he gave an interview to a local TV station and talked about how Dolly lived in a fairy land and wanted to do too much. Well, we all know now that it was Porter who lived in a fairy land because she did all that and more. He also mentions how she would turn her back on her own family to get what she wanted and how untrustworthy she is. They made amends several years later. Just goes to show you what a big heart Dolly has, forgiving Porter for all he said about. Also, included is a very funny clip from Porter's 1995 Roast at the Opryland Hotel. Dolly getting in several zings on her former boss.
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