My share of the work may be limited, but the fact that it is work makes it precious.

The speaker treats work not as a measure of output but as a measure of participation and dignity. Even if one’s contribution is small—because of circumstance, disability, or limited opportunity—the act of doing real work confers value: it connects the individual to shared human effort and to a sense of purpose. The line also implies an ethic of gratitude and humility: worth is not proportional to scale, and “preciousness” comes from earnest engagement rather than recognition. Read in light of Keller’s public life, it resonates as a defense of meaningful labor and social inclusion for those whose capacities are often underestimated.