As you get older, friends are more difficult to come by; you start to realize that people aren't as great as they seemed when you were younger. You begin seeing sides of people you never knew existed, and that can be really intimidating. Befriending someone is hard because you may think they're super nice, but they slowly start to change the longer you're around them; they become overly competitive or pressure you to do things you aren't interested in. Every so often a "saving grace" will swoop in and show you everything with be alright; however, if you don't realize this quick enough, you may lose your chance to keep them. Here are five signs they are the said saving grace, and you should hide them away for safe keeping.

1. It's easy to communicate with them.

This may seem pretty basic, but communication is such an important aspect of any relationship. Whether it's talking on the phone or Snapchatting throughout the day, the conversation just seems to flow easily between you guys. If you can't open up to someone and vice versa, you probably shouldn't be friends. Communication between friends should just happen naturally, so don't force it.

2. They're ready to fight for you.

When someone is mean to you or does you wrong, these friends will be ready to throw down. They're going to get so worked up you'd think they were the one who had just been hurt. You're probably going to have to talk them down from throwing some punches. Anytime they're around, you just feel safe because you know they've got your back if things go south.

3. They never pressure you into things.

Boundaries are something these friends respect 100%. When they're doing something and ask you if you want to do it too, they don't try to talk you into it if you say "no." They just let it go and don't try to pressure you. Odds are, you guys are a little bit different, and they'll respect that and let you do you.

4. They know how to make you laugh.

Laughter is such a refreshing moment; it starts from the smallest of things and just escalates from there. Good people tend to bring happiness and laughter along with them, and they just make you feel alive. Good vibes just seem to float from these friends; they go with the flow and make you laugh like there's no tomorrow.

5. They are just generally good people.

From helping someone by holding the door or just telling someone that they look nice, these friends just radiate good vibes. They don't like to just randomly talk trash about people because it just feels wrong to them. Having fun doesn't have to include being mean, they just like to sit around and talk about life.

These friends are honestly such a blessing; they're always going to be there for you as long as you're there for them as well. Amazing people pass by every day, and occasionally you'll be blessed enough for them to become part of your life.