Unknown round white light swooped down at close range, stopped momentarily, and few away at lightening speed.

My family lived in the country and we were getting ready to go to town one evening after dark.  My father and I (about 12 yrs old at the time) went out to get into the car. We were waiting for my mother to come out of the house. We had not yet got into the car when a huge round white light swooped down and stopped about 30ft in the air for a short time, then, with lightening speed, flew off. It didn't have a straight line exit, and the light, though very bright white, did not omit surrounding light from it's source.  My father said "what was that?  I stated I did not know.  Only my father and I observed to unknown light. Even though it has been many years since then, we still talk about it and wonder if we wittnessed the sighting of a UFO.