Is it better?

Is it better to have loved and lost, then to never have loved at all?  I've contemplated this question for a long time.  Every time I get close to an affirmative answer something happens that shoves me back onto the fence.  If you look at it one way you might say "Well I'll always have the memories" but others may say "those memories wouldn't plague me."  I keep leaning toward it is better to have never loved at all. 

The way I see it is if you never allow anyone to close you don't have to worry about being hurt.  Now I'm not saying to seclude yourself just not to allow affection to go past that.  Every time I try to explain this to someone they call me a cold person.  They say that no one could live like that, and be happy.  I feel differently.  For the past six years I've built up walls that protect me.  I can reach out and touch others without the fear of hurt that is bound to accompany that connection.  When someone decides to leave I smile and wave them on.  I no longer cry and agonize over why they left I accept it.  I can honestly say that I haven't allowed myself to love someone for a while.  I've had extremely close friendships with others and feel I could trust them with just about anything so I wouldn't say I'm closed off.   I don't do long distant relationships they don't really work for me (not that they don't work for others) but I feel as soon as someone leaves I need to cut them out.  Now when I first meet someone I let them know this about me so that they don't expect more then I am willing to give.  So far it has worked out splendidly there have been no problems.

The only thing keeping me from completely dedicating myself to this statement is that I've spoken with people who have claimed to have never loved.  Now I'm not talking about love within the family I mean a relationship.  They claim that never knowing love is torture that not having the memories only gives you an empty life.  This had me thinking, I've loved and been loved so I don't know how it feels to have never had this, but I would trade them the feeling of having something like that taken away to feel that numbness to not know what it's like and never having to experience it.

This is my view on the topic what's yours?  I enjoy hearing the arguments for both sides, and I don't believe there is a wrong answer so please let me know.