If you're happy with your life as it is, why change it? As far as the living together, I guess it's all in how you were brought up, like if you were living together and not married, it's a "sin". I don't feel that way. My husband and I have been together 22 years but only married 9 years. The only reason for that, was that if something happened to him without marriage, all his retirement money and benefits would have gone back to his employer. This may be something you want to discuss, maybe after living together. That way if it doesn't work out, you just split up, you don't have to get a divorce. If something happened to my husband, I have NO plans on getting married again. My two cents worth.